HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT NOISE HAZARDS
PROLONGED EXPOSURE OF PERSONNEL TO THE INTENSE NOISE PRODUCED BY DIESEL-POWERED HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT CAN CAUSE PARTIAL DEAFNESS. BOTH LEVEL AND FREQUENCY OF A NOISE MUST BE CONSIDERED IN DETERMINING THE PROBABLE EFFECT ON HEARING. THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS TO NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS VARIES WIDELY. THE NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS ACCUMULATES GRADUALLY AND IS PERMANENT AND CANNOT BE CORRECTED BY ANY KNOWN MEDICAL TREATMENT OR BY USING A HEARING AID. IT IS A COMPENSABLE OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE IN MANY JURISDICTIONS, AND SOME STATES HAVE ADOPTED REGULATIONS INTENDED TO CONTROL OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES THAT CAN CAUSE IT. THE BEST METHOD OF PREVENTION IS TO ELIMINATE HARMFUL NOISE EXPOSURES BY ENGINEERING METHODS OR OPERATING PROCEDURES. WHERE THESE MEASURES FAIL, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT CAN BE USED.
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Supplemental Notes:
- Paper sponsored by Special Committee on Highway Equipment. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
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Authors:
- Botsford, James H
- Publication Date: 1969
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 1-5
- Monograph Title: Highway equipment studies, construction management, noise and air pollution bibliography
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Serial:
- Highway Research Record
- Issue Number: 278
- Publisher: Highway Research Board
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Construction equipment; Diesel engines; Engines; Hearing loss; Noise; Occupational diseases; Personnel; Road construction
- Old TRIS Terms: Engine noise
- Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00219353
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Sep 29 1994 12:00AM