Ototoxic Occupational Exposures for a Stock Car Racing Team: I. Noise Surveys

Details

• Personal Author:
  Alvarez FJ ; Dallaire J ; Gwin, Kristin K. ; Kardous CA ; Morata, Thais C. ; Van Campen, Luann E. ; Wallingford, Kenneth M.
• Description:
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) surveyed noise exposure for a professional stock car team at their race shop and during two races at one racetrack. At the team's shop, area sound pressure levels (SPLs) were measured for various work tasks. Equivalent levels (Leqs) ranged from 58 to 104 decibels, A-weighted (dBA). Personal noise dosimetry was conducted for at least one employee for each job description in race car assembly (n = 9). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 90 dBA for an 8-hour, 5-dB exchange rate time-weighted average (TWA) was never exceeded, but in two instances values exceeded OSHA's action level of 85 dBA for hearing conservation implementation. The NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) of 85 dBA for a 3-dB exchange rate Leq was exceeded for five of the measured jobs. During the races, SPLs averaged above 100 dBA in the pit area where cars undergo adjustments/refueling, both before and during the race. Peak levels reached 140 dB SPL. NIOSH REL was exceeded for every personal noise dosimetry measurement. Recommendations for hearing protection and communication are presented. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Hearing Noise Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Radiation Dosimeters Safety
• Keywords:
  Dosimetry Exposure-limits Hearing-conservation Hearing-protection Noise-analysis Noise-exposure Noise-levels Occupational-exposure Ototoxicity
• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  North Carolina ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology ; DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  383-390
• Volume:
  2
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20028190
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2005 Aug; 2(8):383-390
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2005
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:4b2fb9265245968e240b003ce5d1580f4ad8b21b6aa548b97a97d5e51794e04f9d7199a9b786584683a06d6dd364ef54bd5643235f4a8ef76b38ef6bde184517
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/189807/cdc_189807_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 273.72 KB ]