In-plant noise as occupational risk factor at petrochemical plants

View or download the full article: 
PDF icon health-risk-analysis-2017-1-13.pdf
UDC: 
613.644: 613.6.02: 665.71
DOI: 
10.21668/health.risk/2017.1.13.eng
Authors: 

A.D. Volgareva1, L.K. Karimova1, L.N. Mavrina1, Z.F. Gimaeva1,2, N.A. Beigul1

Organization: 

1 Ufa Research Institute of Occupational Health and Human Ecology, 94 Stepana Kuvykina Str., Ufa, 450106, Russian Federation
1 Bashkirian State Medical University, 3 Lenina Str., Ufa, 450000, Russian Federation

Abstract: 

The article summarizes the data obtained in long-term research on working conditions estimates and studying damages to hearing organs in workers employed at petrochemical plants. We chose workers employed at five basic organic synthesis productions as an object of our study; these productions include ethylene-propylene, ethylbenzene-styrene, organic alcohols production (butanol and 2-ethylhexanol), phthalic anhydride.

We detected that heating furnaces, compressors, and pumps were the main noise sources at the examined productions.

Our research revealed that noise levels at the examined productions varied from 60 to 99 decibel, and calculated equivalent noise levels reached the 3 hazard class with 1st and 2nd hazard degree.

Audiometric research showed that signs of impacts exerted by noise on hearing organs of workers belonging to basic occupational groups (processing machine operators and pumps and compressor operators) occurred authentically more frequently than in case of control equipment mechanics and automatic equipment operators (comparison group) (<0,001).

The highest risk of occupational hearing loss was detected for drivers while the same pathology evolved 1.5–2.0 times less frequently in processing machines operators. Frequency of hearing organs damage in all basic occupational groups authentically increased as working period grew. Signs of such damage increased dramatically in processing machines operators' group after 10 years of work but still the overall level was slightly lower than in drivers' group.
It is shown that the most efficient measures of collective protection aimed at noise reduction are application of low-noise technological equipment, acoustic protection (sound insulation and sound absorption, etc), remote control, as well as rational labor and leisure regime. Medical care and vocational rehabilitation of people with occupational hearing loss also contribute significantly into sensory deafness prevention.

Keywords: 
in-plant noise, working conditions, occupational risk, petrochemical productions, signs of impacts exerted by noise on hearing organs, organic synthesis, harmful and dangerous factors, occupational pathology
Volgareva A.D., Karimova L.K., Mavrina L.N., Gimaeva Z.F., Beigul N.A. In-plant noise as occupational risk factor at petrochemical plants. Health Risk Analysis, 2017, no. 1, pp. 116–124. DOI: 10.21668/health.risk/2017.1.13.eng
References: 
  1. Adeniniskaya E.E., Gorblyanskaya Yu.Yu., Khoruzhaya O.T. Izuchenie klinicheskoi effektivnosti me-ditsinskogo nablyudeniya za rabotnikami, zanyatymi v usloviyakh vozdeistviya shuma [Studying clinical effi-ciency of medical observation on workers functioning under noise exposure]. Sanitarnyi vrach, 2014, no. 7, pp. 22–28 (in Russian).
  2. Adeniniskaya E.E., Pankova V.B. Proekt federal'nykh klinicheskikh rekomendatsii po diagnostike, leche-niyu i profilaktike poteri slukha, vyzvannoi shumom: garmonizirovannaya klassifikatsiya stepeni tugoukhosti [The draft of Federal clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of noise induced hearing loss: how we made it]. Meditsina truda i promyshlennaya ekologiya, 2015, no. 9, pp. 19–20 (in Russian).
  3. Zinkin V.N., Sheshegov P.M., Chistov S.D. Klinicheskie aspekty professional'noi sensonevral'noi tu-goukhosti akusticheskogo geneza [The clinical aspects of occupational sensorineural impairment of hearing of the acoustic origin]. Vestnik otoringologii, 2015, no. 6, pp. 65–70 (in Russian).
  4. Izmerov N.F., Denisov E.I., Morozova T.V. Okhrana zdorov'ya rabotnikov: garmonizatsiya terminologii, zakonodatel'stva i praktiki s mezhdunarodnymi standartami [Health at work: Harmonization of terminology, laws and practice with international standards]. Meditsina truda i promyshlennaya ekologiya, 2012, no. 8, pp. 1–7 (in Russian).
  5. Ikonnikova I.V., Boiko I.V., Klitsenko O.A. Otsenka faktorov riska razvitiya sensonevral'noi tugoukhosti u rabotnikov gazotransportnogo predpriyatiya Krainego Severa [Evaluation of risk factors for neurosensory deaf-ness in workers engaged into gas transport enterprise in Far North]. Meditsina truda i promyshlennaya ekologiya, 2015, no. 2, pp. 26–29 (in Russian).
  6. Karamova L.M., Karimova L.K., Basharova G.R. Professional'nyi risk dlya zdorov'ya rabotnikov khi-micheskikh i neftekhimicheskikh proizvodstv [Occupational health risk for workers employed at chemical and petrochemical production]. Ufa, 2006, 306 p. (in Russian).
  7. Mavrina L.N., Karimova L.K., Beigul N.A. Profilakticheskie mery po obespecheniyu bezopasnykh uslovii truda v proizvodstvakh etilbenzola-stirola [Preventive measures aimed at providing safe working conditions at ethylbenzene-styrene production]. Aktual'nye napravleniya nauchnykh issledovanii: ot teorii k praktike: materialy VII Mezhdunarodnoi naucho-prakticheskoi konferentsii [Modern trends in scientific research: from theory to practice: materials of VII International theoretical and practical conference]. Cheboksary, Interaktiv plyus Publ., 2016, vol. 1, no. 7, pp. 77–78 (in Russian).
  8. MR 14-1/10/2-3508. Diagnostika, ekspertiza trudosposobnosti i profilaktika professional'noi sensone-vral'noi tugoukhosti: Metodicheskie rekomendatsii 14-1/10/2-3508 [Diagnostics, working capacity examination and prevention of occupational sensorineural hearing loss: methodical guidelines 14-1/10/2-3508]. Moscow, 2012, 28 p. Available at: http://docs.cntd.ru/document/902382564 (28.09.2016). (in Russian).
  9. O sostoyanii sanitarno-epidemiologicheskogo blagopoluchiya naseleniya v Rossiiskoi Federatsii v 2013 godu: Gosudarstvennyi doklad [On sanitary and epidemiologic welfare of the population in the Russian Federation in 2013: State report]. Moscow, Federal'naya sluzhba po nadzoru v sfere zashchity prav potrebitelei i blagopolu-chiya, 2014, 191 p. (in Russian).
  10. Pankova V.B., Tavartkiladze G.A., Mukhamedova G.R. Professional'naya tugoukhost': novye podkhody k diagnostike, ekspertize trudosposobnosti i reabilitatsii [Occupational hearing loss: new approach to diagnostic, labour capacity examination and rehabilitation]. Meditsina ekstremal'nykh situatsii, 2013, no. 1, pp. 25–29 (in Russian).
  11. Professional'naya patologiya: natsional'noe rukovodstvo [Occupational pathology: national guide]. In: N.F. Izmerov, ed. Moscow, TEOTAR.-Media Publ., 2011, 784 p. (in Russian).
  12. Preobrazhenskaya E.A., Yatsyna I.V., Sineva E.L., Fedina I.N., Lipatova L.V. Retrospektivnyi analiz i zakonomernosti formirovaniya professional'noi tugoukhosti v sovremennykh usloviyakh [Retrospective analysis and principles of occupational deafness formation nowadays]. Meditsina truda i promyshlennaya ekologiya, 2015, no. 10, pp. 31–35 (in Russian).
  13. Pankova V.B., Sineva E.L., Tavartkiladze G.A., Fedina I.N., Preobrazhenskaya E.A., Mukhamedova G.R. Sovremennye aspekty garmonizatsii klassifikatsii professional'noi tugoukhosti [Current aspects of harmonization of classification of occupational hearing loss]. Vestnik otorinolaringologii, 2013, no. 2, pp. 27–30 (in Russian).
  14. Sostoyanie professional'noi zabolevaemosti v Rossiiskoi Federatsii v 2012 godu [Occupational morbidity in the Russian Federation in 2012]. Informatsionnyi sbornik statisticheskikh i analiticheskikh materialov [Collected statistical and analytical materials]. Moscow, Federal'nyi tsentr gigieny i epidemiologii Rospotrebnadzora Publ., 2013, 48 p. (in Russian).
  15. Kharitonova O.I., Poteryaeva E.L., Kruglikova N.V. Professional'naya neirosensornaya tugoukhost' u chlenov ekipazhei vozdushnykh sudov grazhdanskoi aviatsii [Occupational neurosensory deafness in civil aircraft crew members]. Meditsina truda i promyshlennaya ekologiya, 2015, no. 6, pp. 12–14 (in Russian).
  16. Andreeva-Galanina E.Ts., Alekseev S.V. [et al.] Shum i shumovaya bolezn' [Noise and noise disease]. Leningrad, Meditsina Publ., 1972, 303 p. (in Russian).
  17. Augustynka D. Zagrozenia halasem na stanowiskach pracy w polsce innych pantstwach uni Europejskiej. Medycyna Pracy, 2012, vol. 63, no. 6, pp. 689–700.
  18. Biocca M. Risk Communication and the Precautionary Principle. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 2004, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 197–201.
  19. Choi Y.-H., Kim K. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Korean Workers: Co-Exposure to Organic Solvents and Heavy Metals in Nationwide Industries. PLoS ONE, 2014, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 214–287. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097538
  20. Covello V.T. Risk Communication and Message Mapping: A New Tool for Communicating Effectively in Public Health Emergencies and Disasters. Journal of Emergency Management, 2006, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 25–40.
  21. Leensen M.C.J., Duivenbooden J.C.van, Dreschler W.A. A retrospective analysis of noise-induced hearing loss in the Dutch construction industry. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 2004, vol. 84, no. 5, pp. 577–590. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-010-0606-3.
  22. Leeves G.D., Herbert R.D. Economic and environmental impacts of pollution control in a system of envi-ronment and economic interdependence. Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, 2002, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 693–700. DOI: 10.1016/S0960-0779 (01) 00003-0.
  23. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) in Great Britain. Health and Stafety Executive. Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/Statistics/causdis/deafness/index.htm (10.09.2016).
  24. Arve Lie, Marit Skogstad, Håkon A. Johannessen, Tore Tynes, Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum, Karl-Chris¬tian Nordby, Bo Engdahl, Kristian Tambs. Occupational noise exposure and hearing: a systematic review. Inter-national Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 2016, vol. 89, no. 3, pp. 351–372. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-015-1083-5.
  25. Tsutsumi A., Kayaba K., Kario K., Ishikawa S. Prospective study on occupational stress and risk of stroke. Arch. Internal Med, 2009, vol. 169, no. 1, pp. 56–63.

You are here

Home