Investigation of noise annoyance and audiometric results of Tehran subway workers and their relation to noise exposure

Farshad Nadri; Zahrasadat Mousavifard; Seyed Mohammad Sharif Mohseni; Hamed Nadri; Elahe Tardideh

doi:10.18502/japh.v8i2.12920

Farshad Nadri Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Zahrasadat Mousavifard Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Mohammad Sharif Mohseni HSE Group, Tehran and Suburban Railway Operating Company, Tehran, Iran
Hamed Nadri Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Shushtar Faculty of Medical Sciences, Khuzestan, Iran
Elahe Tardideh Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/japh.v8i2.12920

Keywords: Noise annoyance; Transportation system; Audiometric test; Subway employees

Abstract

Introduction: One of the most important sources of pollution is the noise generated by traffic and transportation, especially the urban railway system (metro), thus this study aimed to assess the noise exposure of Tehran Metro employees and its relation with noise annoyance and audiometric results of employees.

Materials and methods: Measurement was done by using a TES-1351B sound level meter recommendations for all employees which consists of the staff of the station affairs and the staff of the administrative department. A self-reporting questionnaire on workplace noise annoyance were distributed to the employees and then audiometric were used to measure the employees' hearing level.

Results: The average noise exposure in platform workers was 79.3±10 dB and in control room workers was 56.5±6.9 dB. A significant difference was found between the average noise exposure in the employees of the two groups (control room-platform) (p-value=0.001). Based on the results, noise in the work environment was significantly more annoying for people working in metro line 1 than in line 6 (p-value=0.025).

Conclusion: These results show that in general, due to the sound pressure level of 10% of the platform employees being higher than the permissible limit and the increase in the level of noise annoyance of the employees at the frequency of 8 kHz, it is necessary to plan and adopt administrative and technical-engineering measures to reduce the level of noise pollution to about it seems necessary to allow the standard.