Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA.
J Occup Environ Hyg. 2012;9(10):592-601. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2012.713768.
This study examined the contribution of noise exposures from personal media player (PMP) use in the workplace to overall employee noise exposures at a Colorado manufacturing facility. A total of 24 workers' PMP and background noise exposures were measured. Twelve PMP users worked in high-background-noise exposure (HBNE) areas, and 12 worked in low-background-noise exposure (LBNE) areas. The self-selected PMP listening level of each worker was measured using an ear simulator, and the background noise of each employee workstation was measured using a sound level meter. Workers' self-reported PMP duration of use, PMP listening exposure levels, and background noise levels were used to estimate the daily occupational noise exposures. Measured background noise levels averaged 81 dBA for HBNE workers and 59 dBA for LBNE workers. Measured, free-field equivalent listening exposure levels were significantly greater for HBNE workers (85 dBA) compared with LBNE workers (75 dBA) (p = 0.0006). Estimated mean daily noise exposures for both groups were below the ACGIH threshold limit value for noise of 85 dBA8-hr time weighted average (TWA), specifically 84 dBA TWA for HBNE workers and 72 dBA TWA for LBNE workers. Three of 12 (25%) HBNE workers had estimated exposures greater than 85 dBA TWA when only background noise was considered, yet when PMP use was also considered, 6 of 12 (50%) had estimated exposures greater than 85 dBA TWA, suggesting that PMP use doubled the number of overexposed workers. None of the LBNE workers had estimated exposures greater than 85 dBA TWA. The contribution of PMP use to overall noise exposures was substantially less among HBNE workers than LBNE workers due to the disproportionate selection of noise-attenuating headsets among HBNE workers compared with LBNE workers. It is recommended that the facility management either restrict workplace PMP use among HBNE workers or require output-limiting technology to prevent occupational noise-induced hearing loss.
本研究考察了个人媒体播放器（PMP）在工作场所使用所产生的噪声暴露对科罗拉多州某制造工厂员工整体噪声暴露的影响。共测量了 24 名工人的 PMP 和背景噪声暴露情况。12 名 PMP 用户在高背景噪声暴露（HBNE）区域工作，12 名在低背景噪声暴露（LBNE）区域工作。使用耳模拟器测量每个工人的自我选择 PMP 聆听水平，使用声级计测量每个员工工作站的背景噪声。工人报告的 PMP 使用持续时间、PMP 聆听暴露水平和背景噪声水平用于估计每日职业噪声暴露。测量的背景噪声水平平均为 HBNE 工人 81 dBA，LBNE 工人 59 dBA。与 LBNE 工人（75 dBA）相比，HBNE 工人的测量自由场等效聆听暴露水平显著更高（85 dBA）（p = 0.0006）。两组的估计平均每日噪声暴露均低于噪声的 ACGIH 阈限值 85 dBA8 小时时间加权平均值（TWA），具体为 HBNE 工人 84 dBA TWA 和 LBNE 工人 72 dBA TWA。当仅考虑背景噪声时，12 名 HBNE 工人中有 3 名（25%）的估计暴露量超过 85 dBA TWA，但当同时考虑 PMP 使用时，12 名中有 6 名（50%）的估计暴露量超过 85 dBA TWA，这表明 PMP 使用将过度暴露的工人人数增加了一倍。没有 LBNE 工人的估计暴露量超过 85 dBA TWA。由于 HBNE 工人比 LBNE 工人更倾向于选择降噪耳机，因此 PMP 使用对 HBNE 工人整体噪声暴露的贡献明显小于 LBNE 工人。建议设施管理人员限制 HBNE 工人在工作场所使用 PMP，或要求使用输出限制技术以防止职业噪声性听力损失。
