A retrospective analysis of noise-induced hearing loss in the Dutch construction industry

Purpose Noise exposure is an important and highly prevalent occupational hazard in the construction industry. This study examines hearing threshold levels of a large population of Dutch construction workers and compares their hearing thresholds to those predicted by ISO-1999. Methods In this retrospective study, medical records of periodic occupational health examinations of 29,644 construction workers are analysed. Pure-tone audiometric thresholds of noise-exposed workers are compared to a non-exposed control group and to ISO-1999 predictions. Regression analyses are conducted to explore the relationship between hearing loss and noise intensity, noise exposure time and the use of hearing protection. Results Noise-exposed workers had greater hearing losses compared to their non-noise-exposed colleagues and to the reference population reported in ISO-1999. Noise exposure explained only a small proportion of hearing loss. When the daily noise exposure level rose from 80 dB(A) towards 96 dB(A), only a minor increase in hearing loss is shown. The relation of exposure time and hearing loss found was similar to ISO-1999 predictions when looking at durations of 10 years or more. For the first decade, the population medians show poorer hearing than predicted by ISO-1999. Discussion Duration of noise exposure was a better predictor than noise exposure levels, probably because of the limitations in noise exposure estimations. In this population, noise-induced hearing loss was already present at the beginning of employment and increased at the same rate as is predicted for longer exposure duration

Towards a general framework for including noise impacts in LCA

Industrial Ecolog

Urban as a determinant of health

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/55423/1/vlahov_urban as a determinant_2007.pd

Noise exposure and public health

Exposure to noise constitutes a health risk. There is sufficient scientific evidence that noise exposure can induce hearing impairment hypertension and ischemic heart disease, annoyance, sleep disturbance, and decreased school performance. For other effects such as changes in the immune system and birth defects, the evidence is limited. Most public health impacts of noise were already identified in the 1960s and noise abatement is less of a scientific but primarily a policy problem. A subject for further research is the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying noise-induced cardiovascular disorders and the relationship of noise with annoyance and nonacoustical factors modifying health outcomes. A high priority study subject is the effects of noise on children, including cognitive effects and their reversibility. Noise exposure is on the increase, especially in the general living environment both in industrialized nations and in developing world regions. This implies that in the twenty-first century noise exposure will still be a major public health problem

Sleep disturbances due to nighttime aircraft noise

This report is an English translation of the Dutch TNO-PD publication 94.021

Regelingen en aanbevelingen voor de aanpak van de lawaaiproblematiek in bedrijven ter voorkoming van gehoorschade door lawaai op de arbeidsplaats

Het rapport geeft regelingen en aanbeveleingen voor de aanpak van lawaaiproblematiek in bedrijven ter voorkoming van gehoorschade door lawaai op de arbeidsplaats. Er wordt geen gedetailleerde uitwerking gegeven, en evenmin een dwingend model van regels of procedures. De mogelijkheden van aanpak van de lawaaiproblematiek binnen de bestaande wetgeving wordt behandeld, waar bij onder andere aan de orde komen: lawaaibestrijding; beleidsvorming; voorlichting en instructie; persoonlijke gehoorbeschermingsmiddelen; bescherming van anderen dan werknemers; houding van werknemers; medische aspecten