The excess risk of noise-induced hearing loss numerical assessment scale

Abstract

Relevance. In the new edition of the Labor Code (as amended on 02.25.2022), risk-oriented approaches to management in the field of labor protection are fixed, which necessitated the revision of regulatory and methodological documents, including in the field of occupational medicine based on the methodology for assessing occupational risk to workers' health.
 The study aims to substantiate and develop a numerical scale for assessing the group attributive risk of hearing loss from exposure to industrial noise.
 Materials and methods. The authors have carried out an expert-analytical study of materials on qualitative and quantitative a priori and a posteriori assessment of occupational risk.
 Results. The scientists have confirmed the advantage of attributive risk over other indicators for assessing the risk of hearing loss from noise. The numerical scale of the assessment of the attributive risk of hearing loss in relation to the risk-oriented hygienic classification of working conditions and the assessment of the relationship of hearing impairment from noise with work, depending on the magnitude of the attributive risk and etiological proportion, is substantiated. We have justified the categorization of the attributive risk of hearing.
 Limitations. Features of the model for assessing hearing loss due to noise exposure according to GOST R ISO 1999:2017.
 Conclusion. The development of a quantitative scale for assessing the attributive risk of hearing loss not only harmonizes the hygienic assessment of the noise risk factor with international practice, but also contributes to the development of the methodology for assessing and managing occupational risk.
 Keywords: risk assessment; quantitative assessment scale of the attributive risk of hearing loss from noise; categorization of occupational attributive risk; risk-oriented hygienic criteria and classification of working conditions; the rule of "equal energy"; connection of health disorders with work
 Ethics. In preparing the article, the authors were guided by the Ethical principles of medical research set out in the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association of the last revision.