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Nonoccupational noise: exposures associated with routine activities.
Richard Neitzel1, Noah Seixas, John Olson
1University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Seattle, Washington 98195-7234, USA. rneitzel@u.washington.edu
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|February 5, 2004
Summary
Routine nonoccupational noise exposure, primarily from travel, is generally low for construction workers. Daily noise levels rarely exceed 80 dBA, contributing less to total noise dose than work-related sounds.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Health
- Acoustics
Background:
- Characterizing nonoccupational noise exposure is crucial for understanding total daily noise dose.
- Previous research has focused on infrequent noise events, neglecting routine daily activities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify routine nonoccupational noise exposures in construction workers.
- To identify primary sources of nonoccupational noise.
- To compare noise levels during workdays and non-workdays.
Main Methods:
- 112 construction workers wore noise dosimeters and completed activity logs.
- Two data collection phases with varying log details were employed.
- 221,439 one-minute intervals of noise level and activity data were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Most nonoccupational noise levels (L(eq)) were below 70 dBA, with few exceeding 80 dBA.
- Traveling in vehicles was the main contributor to nonoccupational noise exposure.
- Workday 24-hour noise levels (L(eq(24))) were significantly higher than non-workday levels.
Conclusions:
- Routine nonoccupational noise exposure is generally low and contributes less to total noise dose than occupational noise.
- Vehicle travel is a significant source of nonoccupational noise.
- Workday noise environments pose a greater risk than non-workday environments for construction workers.