Documents noise 140 results

"This paper summarizes an analysis of Danish policy on community noise during the last three decades seen in a public health perspective. Estimates made during this period of population exposures to noise from transport are presented, followed by data on population reactions to community noise. The analysis of the main elements of Danish community noise policy in the form of remedies, preventive actions and strategies leads to the conclusion that although exposures of the population to community noise have decreased during this period, the Danish policy was not consistent in the 1970s and 1980s. Administratively and politically, noise had low priority as an environment problem. The improvements in exposures from road traffic were probably mainly due to the legislation on physical planning, but also to lower speed limits and local traffic planning measures. During recent years important new steps have been taken, including the railway sector, but air traffic noise still represents a problem. Local authorities have, generally, been slow in giving priority to noise alleviating and preventive actions. Improved coordination at the central level is needed, and local action may raise the general awareness of the importance of our noise environment for health and well-being."

"Objectives This study explored the effects of occupational exposure to solvents and noise on the hearing of rotogravure printing workers from São Paulo, Brazil.
Methods The study group comprised 124 workers exposed to various levels of noise and an organic solvent mixture of toluene, ethyl acetate, and ethanol. Data on work history, psychosocial aspects of the job, medical history, present health, stress, occupational and nonoccupational exposures to noise or chemicals, and life-style factors were collected through an interview. The participants underwent pure-tone audiometry and immittance audiometry testing. Their exposures to noise and solvents were assessed.
Results Forty-nine percent of the workers had hearing loss. From the numerous variables that were analyzed for their contribution to the development of hearing loss (age, tenure, noise dose, solvent concentrations in air, biological marker for toluene, job category, work and medical history items, smoking, alcohol consumption, work perception scores, nonoccupational exposures), age and hippuric acid (the biologic marker for toluene in urine) were the only variables that met the significance level criterion in the final multiple logistic regression model. The odds ratio estimates for hearing loss were 1.07 times greater for each increment of 1 year of age [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.03--1.11] and 1.76 times greater for each gram of hippuric acid per gram of creatinine (95% CI 1.00--2.98).
Conclusion The findings suggest that exposure to toluene has a toxic effect on the auditory system. Further research is needed on the mechanisms underlying the effects of toluene and on the adequacy of current recommended exposure limits."

"La réglementation européenne et belge concernant le bruit demande que chaque entreprise cherche à éviter ou à réduire l'exposition des travailleurs à ce facteur de risque.
Conformément à la stratégie SOBANE de gestion des risques professionnels, cette brochure décrit une méthode à quatre niveaux : dépistage, observation, analyse et expertise qui devrait permettre de mieux prévenir et /ou corriger les risques liés au bruit. La brochure comprend une série de fiches d'aide.
Elle a été rédigée par le professeur Jacques Malchaire, chef de l'unité hygiène et physiologie du travail de l'UCL, qui a coordonné le projet SOBANE cofinancé par le SPF emploi, Travail et Concertation sociale et le Fonds social européen"

"Les ambiances et contraintes physiques regroupent les expositions à des nuisances sonores et thermiques, aux radiations, aux contraintes visuelles, posturales et articulaires, au travail en air et espace contrôlés, à la manutention manuelle de charges, aux machines et outils vibrants ou à la conduite. Ici, la référence est l'activité des salariés lors de la dernière semaine travaillée. Ce numéro de Synthèse.Stat' décrit, au travers de fiches, les expositions professionnelles des salariés aux différents types de contraintes physiques. Pour chacune des contraintes sont fournis des éléments descriptifs de la population exposée : catégorie socioprofessionnelle, sexe, tranche d'âge, taille et activité économique de l'établissement employeur et famille professionnelle. Les données présentées sont issues de l'enquête Surveillance médicale des expositions aux risques professionnels (Sumer) de 2010, enquête transversale qui permet de cartographier les expositions professionnelles des salariés, la durée de ces expositions et les protections collectives ou individuelles éventuellement mises à disposition des salariés par les employeurs."

"This publication presents the results of an expert forecast on emerging physical OSH risks based on a Delphi survey. The risks identified in the expert survey are related to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), noise, vibration, thermal risks, risks related to ionising and non-ionising radiation, to machinery, work processes and technologies, as well as various ergonomic risks. A literature review explores in more depth the context and the health outcomes of five of the main emerging risks singled out in the forecast."
(Publisher's presentation )

"The potential for harmful synergistic effects of workplace noise and chemical exposure is well-established. However, it is less conclusive whether such effects could still be seen if operators were complying with the relevant exposure standards for noise and/or chemicals. Bearing a regulatory perspective, this literature review explored whether any trends in the effects of combined exposure to noise and toxic chemicals could be established. A literature search was undertaken in seven databases, using key search terms on the combined effects of occupational noise and chemical exposures. A total of 1742 articles were identified, among which 82 were assessed in greater detail. Results in animals demonstrated a synergism of styrene, toluene and carbon disulfide when noise is delivered as a repeated ‘impulse'. Other evidence suggested that noise, although at high levels, was responsible for systemic toxicity in organs other than hearing or nerves. Another significant observation was the early signs of hearing loss associated with mixed solvent exposures and noise, each below the respective occupational exposure limits (OELs). Based on these findings, we wondered whether current workplace exposure standards for noise give adequate protection against damage to hearing for workers exposed to chemicals like styrene or toluene. Additionally, they questioned whether compliance with airborne exposure standards and noise levels gave adequate protection for chemicals with a ‘Skin' notation."

This work is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).