Survey of noise in coal preparation plants

In response to the continuing problem of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) among mine workers, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted numerous noise surveys in coal preparation plants. The research, consisting of worker dose monitoring, task observations, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 2007-01, Vol.121 (1), p.197-205
Main Authors: Vipperman, Jeffrey S., Bauer, Eric R., Babich, Daniel R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
Acoustics
Coal Mining
COAL PREPARATION PLANTS
Cross-Sectional Studies
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
HEALTH HAZARDS
Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced - etiology
Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced - prevention & control
Humans
MONITORING
NOISE
NOISE DOSEMETERS
NOISE POLLUTION
Noise, Occupational - adverse effects
Noise: its effects and control
Occupational Diseases - etiology
Occupational Diseases - prevention & control
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
Physics
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Summary:In response to the continuing problem of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) among mine workers, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted numerous noise surveys in coal preparation plants. The research, consisting of worker dose monitoring, task observations, and equipment noise profiling, was completed in eight separate preparation plants. Worker dose monitoring was conducted for three shifts in most cases. Workers experiencing higher than allowable doses were task-observed for one full shift to correlate dose to noise source(s). Finally, noise levels on all floors, and in lunch rooms and control rooms, were characterized. Results indicate that only workers who routinely spend a significant portion of their shift in the plants (away from the control rooms) are susceptible to overexposure from noise. Certain pieces of equipment (screens, centrifuges, sieve bends) are the loudest primary noise sources responsible for the worker noise exposures.
ISSN:0001-4966
1520-8524
DOI:10.1121/1.2372587