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Noise dosimeter measurements in the Air Force
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|November 1, 1979
Summary
Personal noise dosimeters effectively measured occupational noise exposure in Air Force personnel, with median levels often exceeding safe limits. These devices also assessed non-occupational noise, revealing daily exposures close to general population levels.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Acoustics
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Personal noise dosimeters are crucial for assessing occupational noise exposure.
- The Air Force utilizes specific criteria (4 dB doubling time, 84 dB(A) level) for noise assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of personal noise dosimeters in determining occupational noise exposure for Air Force personnel.
- To assess the integration of noise dosimeters into existing Air Force hearing conservation programs.
- To measure non-occupational noise exposure levels.
Main Methods:
- Collected 418 8-hour occupational noise exposure measurements from 120 individuals.
- Deployed noise dosimeters across Air Force bases, gathering 567 noise data measurements.
- Conducted 73 24-hour measurements on 16 individuals to assess non-occupational noise exposure.
Main Results:
- Occupational noise levels ranged from 66-111 dB(A), with a median of 84.5 dB(A).
- Base-wide noise exposures ranged from 60-101 dB(A), with a median of 80.1 dB(A).
- Median daily non-occupational noise exposure was 77 dB(A), slightly higher than previous general population studies.
Conclusions:
- Personal noise dosimeters are valuable tools for monitoring both occupational and non-occupational noise exposure.
- Findings highlight the need for robust hearing conservation programs within the Air Force.
- Challenges and benefits of implementing ongoing noise monitoring programs are discussed.