Predictors of noise exposure in construction workers

Construction workers are exposed to hazardous noise from a wide variety of tools and equipment. This study aims to determine the workplace tasks associated with being exposed to occupational construction noise above the Australian standard (L Aeq,8h = 85 dB). The paper also explores the predictors o...

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Main Authors: Lewkowski, K., Heyworth, J., McCausland, K., Fritschi, Lin, Williams, W., Li, I.
Format: Conference Paper
Published: 2017
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/65434
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author Lewkowski, K.
Heyworth, J.
McCausland, K.
Fritschi, Lin
Williams, W.
Li, I.
author_facet Lewkowski, K.
Heyworth, J.
McCausland, K.
Fritschi, Lin
Williams, W.
Li, I.
author_sort Lewkowski, K.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Construction workers are exposed to hazardous noise from a wide variety of tools and equipment. This study aims to determine the workplace tasks associated with being exposed to occupational construction noise above the Australian standard (L Aeq,8h = 85 dB). The paper also explores the predictors of personal hearing protection use amongst construction industry workers. One hundred construction workers from a range of construction occupations were recruited. Participants wore a dosimeter for a working shift that recorded their time weighted eight-hour equivalent noise exposure levels (L Aeq,8h ). Interviewers used specialised occupational exposure survey software, OccIDEAS, to collect information about the tools and equipment used during the same working shift. L Aeq,8h results ranged from 71 dB to 101 dB with 46% of participants having an L Aeq,8h equal to or over the Australian Exposure Standard (85 dB). Results showed that the personal use of planers, sanders and grinders; large machinery; and power hammers were strongly associated with having an L Aeq,8h over 85 dB. Only 41% of workers who had an L Aeq,8h = 85 dB wore hearing protection all the time they performed noisy tasks.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-654342018-02-19T07:58:20Z Predictors of noise exposure in construction workers Lewkowski, K. Heyworth, J. McCausland, K. Fritschi, Lin Williams, W. Li, I. Construction workers are exposed to hazardous noise from a wide variety of tools and equipment. This study aims to determine the workplace tasks associated with being exposed to occupational construction noise above the Australian standard (L Aeq,8h = 85 dB). The paper also explores the predictors of personal hearing protection use amongst construction industry workers. One hundred construction workers from a range of construction occupations were recruited. Participants wore a dosimeter for a working shift that recorded their time weighted eight-hour equivalent noise exposure levels (L Aeq,8h ). Interviewers used specialised occupational exposure survey software, OccIDEAS, to collect information about the tools and equipment used during the same working shift. L Aeq,8h results ranged from 71 dB to 101 dB with 46% of participants having an L Aeq,8h equal to or over the Australian Exposure Standard (85 dB). Results showed that the personal use of planers, sanders and grinders; large machinery; and power hammers were strongly associated with having an L Aeq,8h over 85 dB. Only 41% of workers who had an L Aeq,8h = 85 dB wore hearing protection all the time they performed noisy tasks. 2017 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/65434 restricted
spellingShingle Lewkowski, K.
Heyworth, J.
McCausland, K.
Fritschi, Lin
Williams, W.
Li, I.
Predictors of noise exposure in construction workers
title Predictors of noise exposure in construction workers
title_full Predictors of noise exposure in construction workers
title_fullStr Predictors of noise exposure in construction workers
title_full_unstemmed Predictors of noise exposure in construction workers
title_short Predictors of noise exposure in construction workers
title_sort predictors of noise exposure in construction workers
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/65434