Effect of Occupational Exposure to Noise on the Health of Factory Workers

The International Standards Organization (ISO) publishes a globally consistent occupational safety and health management system to help companies around the world reduce the burden of economic losses from occupational injuries. With it, Companies can accelerate the improvement of occupational safety and health management standards to ensure labor safety and health. Since the Industrial Revolution, noise has been a threat to the labor health. Long-term exposure to noise may result in permanent irreversible hearing loss. Exposure to high noise environment would result in physical and psychological health hazards. The most direct hazards the hearing loss, because the hearing cells are damaged. Physically, noise could cause endocrine disorders, headaches, blood pressure, and fatigue to human. Sudden noise can cause excessive stress and lead to cardiovascular disease. This study uses a five-year employee health examination database to analyze the association of noise to each health check item. The analyses were justified by many factors, including working environment and demography of the workers. The results show a significant difference in Body Weight (P < 0.001), Waist (P = 0.003), Heart rate (P < 0.001), BUN (P < 0.001), Uric acid (P = 0.014), Total Cholesterol (P = 0.013) when comparing employees working in the places of noise and non-noise. Additionally, this research surveys the health condition of 159 employees working in the environment of noise special operations. The results indicate employees may suffer from Waist (B ＝1.104, P < 0.001), Diastolic blood pressure (B = 0.730, P = 0.004), Creatinine (B = - 0.020, P < 0.001), Total Cholesterol (B = 2.484, P = 0.004) when working in the noise environment continuously. The results urge the employers to cooperate with the relevant International Standards Organization’s regulations and policies, including noise control, adjustment on work shifts, implementation of safety and health education, and regular check on the employee’s health and noise control for the working environment. Additionally, it is necessary to educate employees to apply Personal Protective Equipment to maintain their health.