Risk perception in the use of personal protective equipment against noise-induced hearing loss

Abstract Although there are many approaches to occupational noise exposure, the analysis of individual perception of the worker and its implications on behavior is still a topic that is rarely addressed. A state-of-the-art survey of publications that relate the variables associated with exposure to physical risk of noise in the workplace with the use of hearing protection equipment is presented reducing this gap. After that, a sample of 278 industrial workers exposed to sound pressure levels above 80 dB (A) was collected to examine the relationship between the perception of occupational noise and the use of personal hearing equipment. By a statistical analysis of the identified variables, the direct and indirect effects of a set of factors affecting the use of the equipment were analyzed. Thus, the perception of noise exposure risk by workers is an important predictor of the use of hearing protection equipment.