Comparative study of the effectiveness between used and non-used noise warning application on promoting the wearing of hearing protection among steel industry workers in Samut Prakan province Thailand

Abstract

The exposure to loud noises from occupational performance is a major problem for workers in steel mills. The operators have to be exposed to loud noises from various types of steel production machinery at all times. These noises may affect to the operator's hearing perception in spite the factories themselves have set up hearing conservation program whereas one element is the procurement of loud noise protection equipment to workers working in loud noise area. But it is still found that the operators hardly prefer wearing hearing protection devices during their working hours to work without wearing them. The main objective of this study is to study the effectiveness of the usage of loud noise warning application as an enhancement to encourage the wearing of anti-loud noise devices for workers in the steel industrial factories at the noisy area over the allowable standard of some steel factories in Samut Prakan Province. The study’s specific objectives are 1) To survey the usage of anti-loud noise devices in steel factory’s workers, 2) To compare the usage of anti- loud noise devices of workers, before and after using the noisy alarm application, 3) To specify the details and compare the lowest noise level that the workers begin to hear before and after using the loud noise warning application, 4) To compare the knowledge about how to use the anti- loud noise equipment of workers, before and after using the loud noise warning application and 5) To compare attitudes about the usage of loud noise prevention devices of workers, before and after using the application warning of loud noises. This study is a semi-experimental study, systematically randomized sampling, with selection criteria of the proper factories. After the proper factories had been selected, there were selecting criteria for the noisy departments and selection of participants in such area. The sample groups which had passed the criteria consisted of 2 steel factories’ employees in Samut Prakan Province. The calculated sample size was 44 workers, whereas the experimental group consisted of 44 workers while the controlled group consisted of 46 workers. Data collection from both sample groups were conducted from the interviews with questionnaires, measurement the level of exposed noise loudness, hearing detection and checking the wearing frequency of protective devices by workers of such steel factories.

The study result was found that the majority of sample groups in both factories were exposed to noise above 85 decibels (dBA) and they were already under hearing conservation programs in such area. The experimental group would use the loud alarming application which the researcher had uploaded in their mobile phones of version easily purchasable and had passed their accuracy test to assess the noise level from the National Institute of Metrology. The device usage was quite continuous and, the frequency of usage would be consistently increased, until from 61.4 per cents, it was raised up to 95.5 per cents. And the period of noise protective equipment wearing, calculated as in percentage, throughout 8-hours of wearing period would equal to 100 per cents. It was found that in the experimental group, the percentage of device wearing during working in noisy area was increased from average 57 per cents to average 73 per cents. There was usage of loud noise warning applications throughout 6 months period, when tested by t-test method, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference (p <0.05) while in the controlled group which did not have a loud noise warning application throughout the same period, there was a little increased percentage of wearing anti-noise devices and found no statistically significant difference. In addition, it was found that the comparison of hearing threshold levels, before and after using the loud noise warning application, it was found that when tested with t-test method, it showed no statistically significant differences (p> 0.05). In the controlled group, the result came out without any difference (p> 0.05). Besides, it was found that, regarding the knowledge about the use of loud noise protective device, it was found that before and after using the loud noise warning application in the experimental group, when tested with t- test method, was found that there were statistically significant differences in both groups (p <0.05) while the attitudes regarding the usage of loud noise protective devices, before and after using the application to warn on loud noise, were found statistically significant difference, especially in the experimental group (p <0.05) while there was no significant difference found in the controlled group. The continuous usage of loud noise protective equipment throughout a period of 6 months would likely affect to the behavioral stimulation of workers to wear loud noise protective devices, as noticeable from the increased frequency and percentage of protective devices wearing.