Exposure to Occupational Noise in Industrial Environment: Case Study

Abstract

The objective of the present work is to develop and implement a methodology for evaluating health risks to workers due to occupational exposure to noise in the metalworking industry. Based on the available literature, in this paper the negative effects on the health of workers exposed to noise are identified, according to the types and levels of exposure to which they are subjected, and the activities, the methods and equipment are also characterized. The legal implications resulting from EU directives and Portuguese legislation, concerning the health protection of workers, the assessment of exposure risk to noise and the most suitable prevention and protection measures, are analyzed. This work primarily identifies and characterizes situations at a single plant at the manufacturing industry of metallic fences systems, where significant levels of exposure to noise may occur in various workplaces. Exposures were measured in various workplaces at the actual working plant. In the future, it is necessary to extend the studies to occupational health, considering the influence of other aggressors on hearing health, to minimize or eliminate such risks in the work environment.