"In somno securitas" anaesthetists' noise exposure in Orthopaedic operating theatres.

Excessive noise exposure can have adverse effects on the health and performance of healthcare providers. Irish statutory regulations limit daily workplace noise exposure to 87 A-weighted decibels [dB(A)]. The World Health Organisation recommends noise levels remain under 35 dB(A) in patient treatment rooms. We measured anaesthetists' noise exposure during elective orthopaedic surgery. The mean and maximum sound levels were 63.0 (SD 4.26) and 92.8 dB(A) respectively. Noise was louder than 65 dB(A) 22.2% of the time and louder than 80 dB(A) less than 1% of the time. Staff conversation and metal instruments were responsible for 29.5% and 19.9% of peaks louder than 65 dB(A) respectively. Sound levels recorded were lower than recognised levels associated with hearing loss. Sound regularly exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended levels for patient comfort and safety. Anaesthetists need to be aware of the influence of environmental noise on clinical practice.