Evaluation of occupational environment in two textile plants in Northern India with specific reference to noise

Occupational Noise exposure has been linked with a range of negative health effects by various researchers. The resulting injury of occupational hearing loss is also a well recognized and global problem. To protect workers from hearing damage due to noise exposure and other related health effects, a vast store of knowledge has been accumulated till date about its nature, etiology and time course. There is still ignorance, amongst majority of people working in industries in developing and third world countries including India about ill effects of exposure to high values of noise. The study being reported here has been carried out in two textile plants located in Northern Indian state of Punjab. Equivalent sound pressure level L(eq) has been measured in various sections of these plants with the help of a Class-I type digital sound level meter. The noise spectrum has been evaluated with the help of 1/3 octave filter set. A cross sectional study involving 112 workers exposed to different levels of occupational noise has been conducted. The results of the study establish the fact that noise level in certain sections of the plants i.e Loom Shed, Spinning, Ring Frame, TFO Area is more than the acceptable limit of 90 dBA for 8 h exposure stipulated by OSHA. The noise level in other sections like carding, blow room, combing etc., although is less than 90 dB(A), but is quite higher than limits used for assessment of noise for community response. Octave band analysis of the noise shows the presence of high sound level in 4,000 Hz frequency range, which can be a major reason for causing occupational hearing loss. The results of the interview questionnaire which included a number of parameters reveal the following; (i) only 29% workers are aware about the effects of noise on health (ii) 28% workers are using ear protectors (iii) the satisfaction with the working environment is related to noise level, as workers exposed to comparatively less noise level report better satisfaction (iv) 70% of the workers reported that high noise level causes speech interference (v) 42% workers report the noise to be annoying. The study thus demonstrates the presence of gross occupational noise exposure in both the plants and the author believes that occupational noise exposure and the related effects in India is a widespread problem.