Noise Exposure Levels from Extended Workshifts

Abstract

Noise exposure level is the magnitude used to assess the risk of occupational hearing loss. For that reason, its correct measurement and interpretation are of utmost importance. A common practice is to perform the measurement during a representative period of time, generally during an entire workshift, and to assume that the acoustic environment repeats for the rest of the weeks, months, and years. Unfortunately, this assumption is not always accurate. This paper focuses on workshifts of durations other than 8 hours. It presents a novel approach when dealing with seasonal workers and those active for only part of the year. Keywords: Equivalentlevel, hearing loss, shift duration, exposure duration, seasonal workers. Read more →