Annual dose of noise absorbed by machine drivers in wine and cereal growing

We calculated the annual noise dose absorbed by machine drivers engaged in wine and cereal growing. In order to do that it has been measured the average daily noise dose in the various mechanized operations and then calculated in respect of its duration in a working year. The days spent in manual works were also taken in account. The annual dose of noise became somewhat higher than 90 dB(A) in wine growing, while in cereal growing it was a bit higher than 95 dB(A). The reliability of these data was confirmed by an epidemiological study of hearing damage. In 106 tractor-drivers, employed in farms where wine and cereal growings are done, it was found that the hearing threshold shift due to noise (average 1000-2000-4000 Hz) in relation to the years of employment, had a similar course to that forecasted by the Normative ISO-DIS 1999 in those exposed to a noise dose of 95 dB(A).