Investigation on noise exposure level and health status of workers in transportation equipment manufacturing industry

Abstract

Objective: To explore the noise exposure level and the health status of workers in transportation equipment manufacturing industry, and provide a scientific basis for guidance and implementation of intervention measures. Methods: From January to December in 2019, a total of 2088 noise workers from a large enterprise were selected by cluster sampling method in railway transportation equipment manufacturing, automobile manufacturing and aerospace aircraft manufacturing enterprises. The worker's noise exposure level was detected. Occupational health checkups were performed on the noise workers including electrical audiometry, blood pressure and electrocardiogram. χ(2) test and trend χ(2) test were used to analyze the data. Results: The noise exposure level of 66.9% (1396/2088) workers exceeded 85 dB (A) , and the median noise level was 87.9 (84.3-90.3) dB (A) . Among them, workers of railway transportation equipment manufacturing enterprises had the highest noise exposure level[89.9 (87.8-91.6) dB (A) ]. The detection rate of high-frequency hearing loss, abnormal blood pressure and abnormal electrocardiogram of noise workers were 15.7% (327/2088) , 18.1% (378/2088) and 6.1% (128/2088) , respectively. The differences in the detection rates of high-frequency hearing loss, abnormal blood pressure, and abnormal electrocardiogram in workers of railway transportation equipment manufacturing enterprises, automobile manufacturing enterprises, and aerospace manufacturing enterprises were statistically significant (P<0.05) . Workers of railway transportation equipment manufacturing enterprises had higher detection rates of high-frequency hearing loss (17.6%, 186/1056) . Workers of aerospace manufacturing enterprises had higher detection rates of abnormal blood pressure and abnormal electrocardiogram (26.3%, 169/642; 10.0%, 64/642) . The differences in the detection rates of high-frequency hearing loss, abnormal blood pressure and abnormal electrocardiogram of noise workers were statistically significant in different age and working age groups, and gradually increased with age and working age (P<0.05) . The difference in the detection rate of high-frequency hearing loss of noise workers was statistically significant in different noise intensity groups, and the overall trend was increasing (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The transportation equipment manufacturing industry has serious noise hazards, especially the railway transportation equipment manufacturing industry. Long-term occupational noise exposure can adversely affect workers' hearing and cardiovascular system. Enterprises should strengthen occupational health inspections, and at the same time, take personal protective measures to protect the health of workers.