Kate Lewkowski 1 , Kahlia McCausland 1 , Jane S Heyworth 2 , Ian W Li 2 , Warwick Williams 3 , Lin Fritschi 1 Show Affiliations »
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Occupational noise exposure is a major cause of hearing loss worldwide. In order to inform preventative strategies, we need to further understand at a population level which workers are most at risk. METHODS: We have developed a new questionnaire-based algorithm that evaluates an individual worker's noise exposure. The questionnaire and supporting algorithms are embedded into the existing software platform, OccIDEAS. Based on the tasks performed by a worker during their most recent working shift and using a library of task-based noise exposure levels, OccIDEAS estimates whether a worker has exceeded the full-shift workplace noise exposure limit (LAeq,8h≥85 dBA). We evaluated the validity of the system in a sample of 100 construction workers. Each worker wore a dosimeter for a full working shift and was then interviewed using the OccIDEAS software. RESULTS: The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.81 (95% CI 0.72 to 0.90) indicating that the ability of OccIDEAS to identify construction workers with an LAeq,8h≥85 dBA was excellent. CONCLUSION: This validated noise questionnaire may be useful in epidemiological studies and for workplace health and safety applications. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.
OBJECTIVES: Occupational noise exposure is a major cause of hearing loss worldwide. In order to inform preventative strategies, we need to further understand at a population level which workers are most at risk. METHODS: We have developed a new questionnaire-based algorithm that evaluates an individual worker's noise exposure. The questionnaire and supporting algorithms are embedded into the existing software platform, OccIDEAS. Based on the tasks performed by a worker during their most recent working shift and using a library of task-based noise exposure levels, OccIDEAS estimates whether a worker has exceeded the full-shift workplace noise exposure limit (LAeq,8h≥85 dBA ). We evaluated the validity of the system in a sample of 100 construction workers. Each worker wore a dosimeter for a full working shift and was then interviewed using the OccIDEAS software. RESULTS: The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.81 (95% CI 0.72 to 0.90) indicating that the ability of OccIDEAS to identify construction workers with an LAeq,8h≥85 dBA was excellent. CONCLUSION: This validated noise questionnaire may be useful in epidemiological studies and for workplace health and safety applications. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.
Entities: Chemical
Disease
Keywords:
construction; exposure assessment; noise; questionnaire; validation
Mesh： See more »
Year: 2017
PMID： 29223967 DOI： 10.1136/oemed-2017-104381
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Occup Environ Med ISSN： 1351-0711 Impact factor: 4.402