Investigation on health status of workers occupationally exposed to noise in an automobile manufacturer

Objective To investigate the health status of workers occupationally exposed to noise, and provide scientific orientation for occupational health management and service in the automobile manufacturer.

Methods Noise-exposed workers in an automobile manufacturer were studied. The questionnaire survey and occupational health examination were done and the association of health status with noise exposure was assayed.

Results Totally 662 workers were studied and their noise exposure levels varied from 80.1 to 102.0 dB(A) with the mean of (84.1 ±2.5) dB(A), and 20.2%, 32.6% and 60.9% workers were found to have high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL), neurasthenia syndrome and abnormal blood pressure, respectively. The noise exposure level of these suffering cases with HFHL or neurasthenia syndrome was significantly higher than that of other workers(P < 0.01 or 0.05). It was also noted that the elder age, longer time of exposure to noise, higher BMI and more frequently listening to music with headphone of noise-exposed workers were, all or partially, related to higher incidence of HFHL, neurasthenia syndrome and abnormal blood pressure (P < 0.01 or 0.05).

Conclusion The occupational health status of noise-exposed workers in this automobile enterprise was not optimistic. The enterprise should strengthen the occupational health management and protect the workers' health.