Understanding status of professionals in occupational health service agencies towards noise engineering control

Objective To investigate how the professionals in occupational health service agencies understand the industrial noise engineering control technology, and to promote the implement of noise engineering control measures in the industries.

Methods Totally 15 occupational health service institutions in Yunnan were studied, and 313 professionals in these agencies were surveyed with questionnaire.

Results These institutions equipped the noise monitoring equipment basically according to the requirement by the SAWS but only 3 institutions owned noise spectrum analyzers. A total of 307 questionnaires were collected. Among these subjects, 53.1% (163/307)were medical professionals and 21.2%(65/307)were professionals in science and engineering. Only 36.8%(113/307)professionals knew very well about the noise engineering control measures. We also found that 75.2% (231/307) professionals believed that it was necessary to carry out noise engineering control in priority. The logistic regression analysis showed that the experienced professionals (with longer employed time) and those who mastered more knowledge of engineering control advised more application of noise engineering control technology in the industries (OR=4.528, 5.010, P < 0.05). The judgment of market demand of professionals affected their thinking on noise engineering control technology:less market demand brought less requirement of noise engineering control technology(OR=0.161, P < 0.05), more market demand brought more requirement(OR=2.657, 4.353, P < 0.05). Moreover, the logistic regression analysis showed a greater likelihood for professionals who believed the regulations have stipulated implement of noise engineering control measures in the industries to advise more application of the technology(OR=3.723, P < 0.05), and those who didn't believed to advise less application of the technology(OR=0.373, P < 0.05).

Conclusion In order to promote the implement of industrial noise engineering control technology, it is necessary to improve the professionals' experience and knowledge on noise engineering control measures. The professionals' misunderstanding of engineering control must be reduced and the practical technology of noise engineering control should be explored reasonably. At the same time, the laws and regulations on requirements of noise engineering control technology should be perfected.