Effect of high-intensity noise on the body
Within the study of occupational hygiene, noise (along with vibration) stands out as a leading and ubiquitous harmful physical factor. Its negative impact on human health is complex in nature, as exposure is not limited solely to the time spent in the workplace.
The daily life of a modern person is also accompanied by constant noise exposure. Sources include household appliances, urban transport, busy streets and major highways. However, professional high-intensity noise poses the greatest threat.
The main occupational risk groups exposed to high-intensity noise include:
- Boilermakers;
- Riveters;
- Workers in other similar industrial specialties.
Working at elevated atmospheric pressure
Thanks to strict labor organization and careful monitoring, severe consequences from working under high pressure are practically never encountered in modern industrial practice.
If there is a need to relieve symptoms or treat pathological conditions associated with pressure drops, special equipment is used in medical practice — the therapeutic lock (also known as the decompression chamber).
To prevent the development of decompression sickness, a strict set of preventive measures is applied:
- Time restrictions: strict limitation of the worker's time spent under high pressure conditions.
- Change in the composition of the breathing mixture: replacing nitrogen with helium. This is due to the fact that at high pressure values, helium is characterized by a significantly less pronounced narcotic effect on the body compared to nitrogen.
- Exit regimen: mandatory implementation of slow, strictly staged decompression.
- Medical supervision: conducting rigorous professional medical selection of all candidates for such positions.
Specifics of labor at reduced atmospheric pressure
Working in conditions of reduced atmospheric pressure is also associated with a number of physiological risks requiring the use of special protective measures.
The following main occupational risk groups face this factor in their daily activities:
- Workers engaged in mining at high altitudes;
- Builders of high-altitude routes and roads;
- Pilots and aviation personnel.
Prevention and protection measures (using the aviation industry as an example) The problem of safe high-altitude flights at critically low atmospheric pressure is solved exclusively by technical methods. These include the mandatory use of specialized oxygen devices or apparatuses, as well as ensuring complete pressurization of aircraft cabins.
Briefly: answers to topical questions
What specific occupational diseases develop with prolonged exposure to high-intensity industrial noise?
Prolonged exposure to high-intensity industrial noise leads to specific disorders of the auditory analyzer and systemic pathologies.
- Hearing loss — gradual hearing impairment associated with degeneration of the organ of Corti.
- Occupational deafness — the extreme degree of damage to the hearing apparatus upon prolonged exposure.
- Noise-induced disease — a systemic pathology that develops under complex exposure and is associated with the hypothalamus stress response.
How is industrial noise classified according to temporal characteristics?
According to temporal characteristics, industrial noise is classified into two main groups depending on changes in sound level over time.
- Continuous noise — sound level changes by no more than 5 dB (A).
- Intermittent noise — sound level changes by more than 5 dB (A).
Intermittent noise is further subdivided into:
- Time-varying — continuous change in sound level.
- Interrupted — stepwise change by 5 dB(A) or more (constant sound intervals of 1 second or more).
- Impulse — consists of signals lasting less than 1 second.
What parameters are used for hygienic standardization of continuous industrial noise?
Sound pressure levels and a single-number rating are used for the hygienic standardization of continuous industrial noise.
- Sound pressure levels — measured in decibels (dB) in octave bands with geometric mean frequencies of: 31.5; 63; 125; 250; 1000; 2000; 4000 and 8000 Hz.
- Single-number noise rating — assessment of the sound level in dB(A). This is a time-weighted average of the frequency characteristics of sound pressure, taking into account the biological effect of sound on the human body.
What personal protective equipment (PPE) is used to protect workers from industrial noise?
Hearing protection personal protective equipment (PPE) is used to protect workers from industrial noise. This includes the use of various types of earplugs and earmuffs. These means are used if technical measures fail to reduce noise to the desired regulatory level.
What changes in the central nervous system are caused by the nonspecific action of industrial noise?
The nonspecific action of industrial noise is associated with the hypothalamus stress response and the development of noise-induced disease. Noise acts as a general biological irritant, affecting the central nervous system among other things; exposure to industrial noise increases the incidence of nervous system diseases.
Class and exam questions
Which professions are most exposed to high-intensity noise?
The main risk group includes riveters, boilermakers, and representatives of other similar working professions.
Why is helium used in breathing mixtures for working under pressure?
Helium is used to replace nitrogen because at high pressure it has a significantly less pronounced narcotic effect on the body.
How is the problem of low pressure solved in aviation?
The safety of high-altitude flights is ensured through complete cabin pressurization and the use of special oxygen equipment.
What is used to treat the consequences of working under high pressure?
For treatment and symptom relief, a therapeutic lock is used, which is also called a decompression chamber.
What else to study on this topic
- Mechanism of the narcotic effect of nitrogen at high pressure values
- Operating principles and design of the decompression chamber (therapeutic lock)
- Physiology of staged decompression and pathogenesis of decompression sickness
- Technical systems of cabin pressurization and oxygen supply in aviation
- Impact of occupational vibration on the workers' body
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Other topics in "Chapter 6. Fundamentals of Occupational Hygiene and Physiology"
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