article · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
This study investigates the impact of age, exposure duration, and noise levels on the hearing thresholds of quarry workers in southwestern Nigeria. Research conducted in 2022 and 2023 monitored workers aged 18 to 65 across four quarries, measuring noise levels and testing hearing thresholds across eight frequencies. The measured noise levels ranged from 87.3 to 116.98 decibels, consistently exceeding the recommended safe limit of 85 decibels. Using response surface methodology, eight regression models were developed to predict hearing thresholds based on worker age, years of exposure, and environmental noise. The models successfully predicted that safe hearing thresholds are maintained for workers aged 52 or younger with up to 32 years of exposure. These predictive models offer a reliable tool for designing recruitment strategies and operational safety policies within the quarrying sector to protect worker health.
Excessive noise in industrial environments like quarries poses a severe risk of permanent hearing damage to workers. By establishing clear mathematical relationships between age, exposure time, and hearing degradation, this research helps organisations design better occupational health policies. It provides concrete thresholds to protect vulnerable staff and prevent long-term occupational hearing loss in high-noise industries.
The developed regression models can be utilised by quarry operators, occupational health safety officers, and human resource managers to plan recruitment and operational policies. This early-stage predictive tool can be integrated into workforce management software to monitor and limit individual noise exposure. However, the abstract does not indicate a direct commercial product or a specific pathway to market beyond policy planning.
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Quarries play a vital role in the construction industry. However, studies indicate that the age of quarry workers and their years of exposure to quarry activities contribute to hearing issues. Data on the effects of noise and related factors on hearing damage among Nigerian quarry workers are limited. This study aimed to investigate the effect of age, exposure duration, and noise levels in quarries on workers' hearing thresholds. In 2022, 204 quarry workers aged 18 to 65 were randomly selected from four quarries in the southwestern Nigeria. A follow-up study in 2023 included 185 workers. Questionnaires captured their age and exposure years, while digital sound level meter was used to measure noise levels. Hearing thresholds were tested at eight frequencies (250 Hz to 8 kHz) using an audiogram. Eight regression models were developed using response surface methodology to predict the effects of age, exposure, and noise on hearing thresholds. Noise levels at the quarries ranged from 87.3 to 116.98 dB(A), exceeding the permissible 85 dB(A) limit. The models predicted R² values between 0.71 and 0.82. Safe hearing thresholds were predicted for the workers aged ≤52 years and with ≤32 years of exposure. The models showed strong predictability, making them useful for planning recruitment and operational policies in the quarry industry. It was concluded that age, exposure duration, and noise levels significantly affect quarry workers' hearing thresholds.
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DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17173768
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