01-09-2022 - SMN - Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) and vibration exposure amongst workers.docx

Hearing loss is irreversible and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has stated that NIHL (noise induced hearing loss) is one of the 10 highest rates of occupational illness in the United States. Various studies show that there is a correlation between noise and NIHL which is exacerbated by exposure to vibration. This study aims to analyze the correlation between noise and vibration exposure to NIHL in oil refinery workers. The total population in the oil refinery were 299 workers. The research design employed in this study was a descriptive study with a cross-sectional research method. The inclusion criteria applied in this study were oil and gas workers who work in oil refineries and had been exposed the noise, have periodic audiometric examination, and had exposed the hand-arm vibration. The exclusion criteria were workers who had experienced and history of hearing loss before they worked in this company, had no audiometric records, had a hobby of music and shooting, has Diabetes Mellitus illness, suffer from mix hearing sensorineural and conductive, and retired before and during the period of this research. As a result, the total sample number in this study were 108 workers. Noise level and hand-arm vibration have significant relationship as well as strong correlation with NIHL both ears status of the workers. The results showed that the workers who had exposed to noise have a higher risk of 3.5 times to suffer NIHL in both ears. Moreover, the workers who had exposed to combination between noise, vibration and have smoking habits have a higher risk of 3.9 times and 5.12 times respectively to suffer NIHL in both ears. The higher of noise and vibration level and the longer the duration of exposure, the higher the risk of NIHL