TEMPORARY AUDITORY THRESHOLD SHIFTS AND PERFORMANCE DECREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH 12 DAYS OF NOISE EXPOSURE. (A FIELD STUDY IN FIRE ROOM SPACES ABOARD USS ORISKANY)

Effects of continual 1-in-3 watches were evaluated over a 10-day period. Eight (of 39) men were found with observable threshold shifts. Dosimeter results showed that the typical noise exposure in terms of equivalent steady-state noise level in the space where most measurements were made averaged 89.9 dBA with a standard deviation of 4.5, whereas physical measures averaged 91.6 dBA with a standard deviation of 7.9. On a psychomotor four-choice serial reaction time test all subjects (in noise and quiet) deteriorated on the average when performance at minutes 4 and 5 (of a 5-minute test) was compared to performance the first 2 minutes. The 'quiet' group deteriorated less than the protected or unprotected noise group. Similarly, all three groups showed improvement on the reaction time test near the end of the watch. There apparently was a learning factor. Perceptual interference was measured by a modification of the Stroop color word test. Again, all groups improved their overall performance on the retest toward the end of a watch.

• Corporate Authors:

  Naval Ocean Systems Center

  San Diego, CA  United States 
• Authors:
  • Webster, J C
  • Henry, F G
• Publication Date: 1977-4-15

Media Info

• Pagination: 39 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ear; Engines; Machinery; Measurement; Noise; Personnel performance; Protective clothing; Reaction time; Ships; Time duration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Noise measurement; Ship noise
• Old TRIS Terms: Audiometry; Ear protectors; Engine noise; Human performance; Machinery noise; Noise sound; Performance human; Short range time; Thresholds physiology
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00166101
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: NOSC/TR-108 Final Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 20 1977 12:00AM