Farmers' Exposure to Noise

  • Husman, Kaj R. H.;
  • Miettinen, U.;
  • Rytkonen, E.
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AUTHOR ABSTRACT

The investigation concerned farmers' total exposure to noise as a result of the work. The farms investigated and the farmers represented three branches of production: dairy cattle (2 farms), a poultry farm and a pig farm. The noise exposure was followed during a whole working year.

The exposure was measured by a noise dose meter which the farmer himself used. The results measured for each operation or working day were converted by calculation into equivalent continuous A-weighted sound levels corresponding to a 40 hour working week. On the basis of 51 weekly levels, the equivalent continuous A-weighted sound level was calculated for a whole working year.

On the farms studied, the farmer's exposure to noise exceeded the sound level of 85 dB(A) regarded as the hearing damage limit, and was roughly of the same order irrespective of the branch of production. The farmers also had slight hearing damage of the type associated with noise.

A tractor was the cause of less than half of the noise exposure on all four farms. Substantial peaks in the exposure, daily and weekly, were caused by a circular saw, chain saw or power grinder and also a combine harvester, dryer or mower chopper. No clear seasonal variations were observed in the exposure to noise.

SOURCE AND NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE ID#

SOURCE: Helsinki, Finland: Institute of Occupational Health; 1982. 38.

NLOM ID#: No ID#.

This document was extracted from the CDC-NIOSH Epidemiology of Farm Related Injuries: Bibliography With Abstracts, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

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