Noise Levels And Hearing Protection Devices: Effect On Student Welding Performance

Abstract

Recent researchers have shown that high levels of background noise have a detrimental effect on students’ abilities to perform learning tasks. Daniels (1985), Jewell (1977, 1978), and HambrickDixon found that high noise levels produced a detrimental effect on students’ abilities to perform cognitive or psychomotor skills. Jewel1 (1977, 1978) also discovered that students exposed to higher levels of sound required more time to complete assigned tasks. Another area of concern is the effect of impact or impulse noise. Research has shown that sudden impact noise (such as welding metal dropped on a concrete floor) or impulse noise (a grinding wheel intermittently coming in contact with steel) can cause actual damage to parts of the inner ear (Bohne, 1976; Luz & Hodge, 1971). Depending on the decibel level, impact or impulse noise levels can cause temporary loss of hearing activity or even result in damage that is permanent. The use of hearing protective devices (HPD’s) has been established as a sound practice to reduce the negative effect of loud noise on students’ performance levels (Feldman and Grimes, 1985; Hartley, 1974; Miller, 1986). Experimental research (Miller, 1986) has shown that HPD’s areeffective in maintaining higher levels of student performance when completing learning activities under noisy conditions. Standard maximum levels of noise exposure have been established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA, 1981). The maximum exposure levels and time periods during a working day without hearing protection are shown in Table 1. More recent federal regulations (OSHA, 1981) are imposing a maximum eight hour exposure limit of 85 decibels as the point where employers are required to monitor noise levels, notify employees, and recommend use of HPD’s. At noise levels of 90 decibels and above, employees are required to use HPD’s. Table 1 Permissible Exposure Time by Intensitv of Sound Pressure Level in Decibels (dBA)