Occupational area noise exposure in small-scale metal industry in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

IF 1.8 4区医学 Q3 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Annals Of Work Exposures and Health Pub Date : 2025-05-08 DOI:10.1093/annweh/wxaf017

Witness J Axwesso, Israel P Nyarubeli, Gloria H Sakwari, Bente E Moen, Simon H Mamuya

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Noise exposure in the informal small-scale metal industry may cause hearing loss, due to metal manufacturing processes. In Tanzania, this industry uses hand tools in metal fabrication processes and is not regulated by authorities.

Aim: To describe noise exposure levels and to suggest possible improvements in the small-scale metal industry in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Methods: The study was conducted in 3 small-scale metal industry cooperatives in Dar-es-Salaam, with self-employed workers. Noise levels were measured using a portable sound level meter (Brüel and Kjær type 2250). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance to compare noise levels. A walk-through survey and an interview were conducted to collect information on work operations and control measures.

Results: The workers were seated close to one another in open rooms and produced continuous noise during the whole workday. No hearing protection or noise reduction strategies were observed. The average noise exposure level was 90.9 dBA, 106.9 dBA, and 89.7 dBA in the 3 metal companies X, Y, and Z, respectively, and the differences between companies were statistically significant. Company Y, with the highest noise level, had more workers. The average peak noise level was 124.6 dBA.

Conclusions: The studied workplaces had noise exposure levels above 85 dBA, the recommended limit value in Tanzania. Immediate action with the provision of hearing protection for the workers is needed, and the metal companies and the labor and health authorities in Tanzania should discuss the reorganization of the work to protect workers from noise levels.

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坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆小型金属工业职业区噪声暴露。

背景：由于金属制造过程，非正式小规模金属工业中的噪音暴露可能导致听力损失。在坦桑尼亚，这个行业在金属制造过程中使用手工工具，不受当局监管。目的：描述坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆小型金属工业的噪音暴露水平，并提出可能的改进建议。方法：研究在达累斯萨拉姆的3个小型金属工业合作社进行，个体经营者。使用便携式声级计（br el和kk ær型2250）测量噪声级。数据分析采用描述性统计和方差分析比较噪声水平。为了收集有关工作操作和控制措施的信息，我们进行了一次实地调查和访谈。结果：工人们在开放的房间里挨个坐着，整个工作日都在产生持续的噪音。没有观察到听力保护或降噪策略。X、Y、Z三家金属企业的平均噪声暴露水平分别为90.9 dBA、106.9 dBA、89.7 dBA，企业间差异有统计学意义。噪音最高的Y公司的工人也更多。平均峰值噪声水平为124.6 dBA。结论：所研究的工作场所的噪声暴露水平高于85 dBA，这是坦桑尼亚的推荐限值。需要立即采取行动，为工人提供听力保护，坦桑尼亚的金属公司和劳工和卫生当局应讨论重新安排工作，以保护工人免受噪音水平的影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Annals Of Work Exposures and Health Medicine-Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

CiteScore

4.60

自引率

19.20%

发文量

期刊介绍： About the Journal Annals of Work Exposures and Health is dedicated to presenting advances in exposure science supporting the recognition, quantification, and control of exposures at work, and epidemiological studies on their effects on human health and well-being. A key question we apply to submission is, "Is this paper going to help readers better understand, quantify, and control conditions at work that adversely or positively affect health and well-being?" We are interested in high quality scientific research addressing: the quantification of work exposures, including chemical, biological, physical, biomechanical, and psychosocial, and the elements of work organization giving rise to such exposures; the relationship between these exposures and the acute and chronic health consequences for those exposed and their families and communities; populations at special risk of work-related exposures including women, under-represented minorities, immigrants, and other vulnerable groups such as temporary, contingent and informal sector workers; the effectiveness of interventions addressing exposure and risk including production technologies, work process engineering, and personal protective systems; policies and management approaches to reduce risk and improve health and well-being among workers, their families or communities; methodologies and mechanisms that underlie the quantification and/or control of exposure and risk. There is heavy pressure on space in the journal, and the above interests mean that we do not usually publish papers that simply report local conditions without generalizable results. We are also unlikely to publish reports on human health and well-being without information on the work exposure characteristics giving rise to the effects. We particularly welcome contributions from scientists based in, or addressing conditions in, developing economies that fall within the above scope.