Archives of Occupational Health

en Assessment of noise exposure and hearing loss in a cement industry Assessment of Workers' Occupational Exposure to Noise and Hearing Loss in One of the Cement Factories تخصصي Special پژوهشي Research Objective: Different factors in the workplace may create potential health risks for workers. Noise is one of these factors and it is considered as a concern through the world. The aim of this study is to provide information on the prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among cement factory workers. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 283 workers were randomly selected from different production units in a cement factory. Equivalent Sound Level (Leq) was measured by using a Casella CEL-320 &lrm; dosimeter and Sound Pressure Level (SPL) was measured by using a TES-1358 sound level meter (SLM) (sn: 090717269), with high accuracy. Audiometric tests were conducted by using an AVA C88 audiometer. Hearing Threshold Levels (HTLs) were calculated at different frequencies for both ears. Collected data were analyzed by using SPSS.16 software and statistical tests. Results: About 55 percent of the participants suffered from some levels of hearing-loss at the frequency range of 4- 8 KHZ. There was a significant difference between the mean HTLs &lrm; of left and right ear at most frequencies. The highest mean of sound pressure level (SPL) was measured in crusher unit and the lowest mean occurred in bag-filling unit.  Conclusion: Occupational exposure to noise has the potential to cause hearing loss in cement factory workers. Therefore, it is necessary to perform effective measures to prevent the prevalence of hearing loss in units with high exposure risks. Background: Noise is one of these factors and it is considered as a concern through the world. The purpose of this study is to provide information about the rate of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among workers in one of the cement. Methods: 283 workers were randomly selected from different production units in a cement factory. Equivalent Sound Level (Leq) was measured by using a Casella CEL-320 &lrm; dosimeter and Sound Pressure Level (SPL) was measured by using a TES-1358 sound level meter (SLM) (sn: 090717269), with high accuracy. Audiometric tests were conducted by using an AVA C88 audiometer. Collected data were analyzed by using SPSS.16 software and statistical tests. Results: The mean Hearing threshold limit (HTLs) &lrm; at frequencies (3 and 4 KHZ) in the study group is significantly higher than the control group (P <0.001). There was a significant difference between the mean HTLs in the left and right ear at all frequencies, except for the frequency of 500 HZ. At higher frequencies (3-8 KHZ), the difference between the mean HTLs &lrm; in both ears is more evident and it has significantly increased, compared to lower frequencies (0.5-2 KHZ). Conclusion: Long-term occupational exposure to noise has the potential to cause hearing loss in cement factory workers. Therefore, it is necessary to perform effective measures, such as utilizing technical and engineering techniques and procurement and effective use of hearing protection devices in order to prevent the prevalence of hearing loss in units with high exposure risks.   hearing loss, Cement Plant , Noise , audiometry , HTLs Hearing Loss, Noise , Audiometry 1265 1271 http://aoh.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-198-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 ali omidi علی امیدی 0000-0003-2708-3603 No 1 Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran sasan gharavandi ساسان قراوندی No Occupational Medicine, Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Masoud Askari Majdabadi مسعود عسکری مجدآبادی 0000-0002-8937-7693 No Occupational Health Engineering Department, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Farideh golbabaei فریده گلبابائی 0000-0001-6488-4923 No Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mostafa Besharatipur مصطفی بشارتی پور No Occupational Medicine, Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Alireza Khammar 0000-0001-9910-2485 No Department of Occupational Health and safety Engineering, School of Health, zabol University of Medical Sciences, zabol, Iran mohsen poursadeghiyan محسن پورصادقیان poursadeghiyan@gmail.com 0000-0002-8780-6220 Yes department of faculty of natural reassures and environment, sciences and research branch, Islamic Azad university, Tehran, Iran