Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HHE-2007-0075-3251, May 2016. Evaluation of Impact and Continuous Noise Exposure, Hearing Loss, Heat Stress, and Whole Body Vibration at a Hammer Forge Company.

摘要

The union representing employees at a hammer forge company asked for a Health Hazard Evaluation. Responding to their concerns, we measured impact noise, noise exposures, whole body and hand-arm vibration, and heat stress. Impact noise levels at the hammers were up to 148 decibels. Most employees' noise exposures were above workplace limits. Noise exposures near the hammers were above 100 decibels, A-weighted. Our analysis of hearing test results found many employees with hearing loss. Some employees (1) had hearing loss within the first 5 years on the job, including employees under age 25, (2) hearing worsened with length of employment and age, (3) had permanent ringing in their ears because of noise exposure, and (4) did not insert foam ear plugs in the proper way. Whole body vibration was above some recommended guidelines. Hand-arm vibration at the grinders could exceed recommended limits. We did not find excessive heat stress. We recommended installing noise controls and replacing current equipment with less noisy equipment. We also recommended using vibration isolation controls at the hammers and at the grinders.