Occupational noise exposure of ushers during National Hockey League games in an indoor arena.

Abstract

Workers employed in recreational settings, such as sporting events, may be potentially exposed to hazardous noise levels, increasing the risk of temporary and permanent hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to assess the occupational noise exposures of ushers employed in an indoor arena during 12 National Hockey League games in eastern North Carolina. Participants were monitored for personal noise exposure during games using noise dosimeters. Area noise monitoring was conducted at arena level 1 using a sound level meter and in a production office using a noise dosimeter. Ten of 12 games (83.3%) had at least one 8-hr TWA noise exposure measurement that exceeded the ACGIH^® TLV^® of 85 dBA, while one (8.3%) exceeded the OSHA PEL of 90 dBA. The differences in L_avg and 8-hr TWA noise levels by game were statistically significant (p < 0.01) for both ACGIH and OSHA noise metrics. All of the 8 arena sections (100%) had at least one 8-hr TWA noise exposure measurement that exceeded the ACGIH TLV, while one (12.5%) exceeded the OSHA PEL. The differences in L_avg, 8-hr dose and 8-hr TWA by arena seating level were not statistically significant (p = 0.11 to 0.36) for both OSHA and ACGIH metrics. Although the overall 8-hr TWA noise exposure levels (76.5 ± 4.6 dBA using OSHA metric; 83.7 ± 3.7 dBA using ACGIH metric) did not exceed the OSHA PEL or ACGIH TLV, respectively, employees during professional hockey games may be exposed to hazardous noise as demonstrated by the percentages of 8-hr TWA noise measurements exceeding the OSHA PEL (1.1%) and ACGIH TLV (24.2%). Study findings may be beneficial for identifying practical and feasible control measures to reduce noise exposures of workers at the arena during professional hockey games and may be used to estimate attendee noise exposures and to improve arena design for noise reduction.