Inter industry noise study: the effects upon hearing of steady state noise between 82 and 92 dBA

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · J. Occup. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7276755

Yerg, R A; Sataloff, J; Glorig, A; Menduke, H

Hearing levels were measured in 155 males and 193 females exposed to noise levels ranging from 82 to 92 dBA for at least three years, with a median duration of approximately 15 years, and for 96 males and 132 females with job exposure that did not exceed 75 dBA. Noise exposure was considered steady state in that it did not fluctuate more than +- 3 dB from the midpoint as of the time of the first audiogram. As many subjects as possible were reexamined one year later and two years later. Jobs involving some 250,000 employees were examined to find the 348 experimental subjects who met the criteria of the study as of the time of entry. Even with such a highly screened group, few would have remained if the condition of noise exposure within a range of 6 dB were applied to all intensity measurements over time rather than only to that at the time of the first visit. Within the range of 82 to 92 dBA, differences in noise intensity had no observable effect on hearing level. Age was a more important factor than duration on the job in explaining differences in hearing level within any group. Differences between females exposed to 82 to 92 dBA and their controls were small and were not statistically significant. Differences between males exposed to 82 to 92 dBA and their controls were small and were not statistically significant at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz: Levels in the noise-exposed group significantly exceeded those in the control group at 3000, 4000, and 6000 Hz by approximately 6 to 9 dB. At 8000 Hz, differences again became not significant. There was no real evidence of a difference between noise-exposed workers and their controls with respect to the changes in hearing level during the course of their follow-up one and two years after initial audiograms. Changes were negligible for both groups.

• Research Organization: Hearing Conservation Noise Control, Inc., Philadelphia
• OSTI ID: 7276755
• Journal Information: J. Occup. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Occup. Med.; (United States) Vol. 20:5; ISSN JOCMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AUDITORY ORGANS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
DISEASES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
NOISE POLLUTION
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
SENSE ORGANS
WORKING CONDITIONS