Abstract

Noise is defined as any loud, discordant, or disagreeable sound, international health and safety regulation
provides permissible noise exposure limit, it should not exceed 85 dBA. Any noise >85 dBA can cause hearing
loss. Focus of this study was to determine the noise exposure and prevalence of hearing noise among the
workers in stone crusher and sawmill industry. The noise dosimeter SC310 was used to obtain noise levels
and noise dose in different zones of stone crusher and sawmill. The audiological effects such as poor speech
discrimination, hear loss, and giddiness, and non-audiological effects such as headache, migraine, anxiety, and
high blood pressure depression. were observed among the workers during interview session and the authors
have also observed that the workers were having poor hearing capability in responding to the question asked.
A total of 13 workers in stone crusher and sawmill were evaluated. The results show that workers were exposed
to noise 89.1-104.5 dBA and noise dose 300.4-7570.8% dBA in stone crusher and in sawmill workers were
exposed to noise 87.4-93.25 dBA and noise dose 130-515.6%. None of the workers used hearing protective
devices such as earplug, earmuff, and ear foam plug. These exposed workers were suggested to have an annual
audiometric tests to determine degree of hear loss, hearing sensitivity, and severity of hearing loss as early as
possible.