Risk assessment of textile industry on workers exposed to noise pollution (case study: Borujerd Textile Factory)

Subject Areas : environmental management

Maryam Mohammadi Roozbahani ¹ , Parvin Nassiri ² , Ahmadreza Farzaneh Nejad ³

1 - - Faculty of Environment and Energy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University
2 - School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
3 - Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Received: 2007-08-21 Accepted : 2007-11-11 Published : 2009-12-22

Keywords: Noise pollution, : Risk Assessment, textile factory, exposed workers,

Abstract :

To assess the risks of Borujerd Textile Factory on the workers exposed to noise pollution, a cross- sectional study was conducted. Sixty workers of spinning and weaving halls, and staff members were randomly selected and audio metered in the two groups of case and control. Then, the results were analyzed through t-test. In the next step, all of the subjects filled in a questionnaire, the results of which were analyzed through X². Also, the diagrams of hearing loss rate were drawn for 4 groups in terms of years of working experience (16) and its relation with working years. The results of the study indicated that all subjects suffered from hearing loss in both ears. The mean hearing threshold of all groups had the highest value in frequency bands 2, 4, and 8 KHz. With an increase in the working years up to more than 10 years, hearing loss in 1 KHz frequency band was also seen. The lowest hearing sensitivity was seen in frequency bands 250 and 500 Hz. It can be concluded that the higher the frequency of the received noise, the lower the hearing tolerance threshold would be.