• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.165-175
• /
• 2005

Two extreme and one mixed procedures for designing a noise hazard prevention program are discussed in this paper. The two extreme design procedures (engineering-based and HPD-based) yield upper and lower bounds of the total noise control cost, respectively; while the mixed design procedure provides an optimal noise hazard prevention program within a given total budget. The upper bound of the workforce size for job rotation is approximated using a heuristic procedure. Six optimization models are developed and utilized by the mixed procedure to eliminate or reduce excessive noise levels (or noise exposures) in an industrial workplace. The mixed procedure also follows the OSHA’s hierarchy of noise control. A numerical example is given to demonstrate the application of the proposed design procedures.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.199-206
• /
• 2020

Background: In a wide range of industries, noise-induced hearing loss remains one of the most prevalent occupational problems. This study aimed to assess the noise exposure level and associated factors of hearing loss among textile workers in Yangon Region, Myanmar. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a Textile mill (Thamine), Yangon Region, from April to December 2018. In total, 226 workers who were randomly selected from 3 weaving sections participated in face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. A digital sound level meter and pure-tone audiometer were used for the assessment of noise exposure level and hearing loss, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the associated factors of hearing loss. Results: In total workers, 66.4% were exposed to ≥85 dB(A) of noise exposure, and the prevalence of hearing loss was 25.7%. Age ≥35 years, below high school education, hearing difficulty, tinnitus, hypertension, > 9 years of service duration in a textile mill were positively associated with hearing loss. After adjusting confounding factors, age ≥35 years (adjusted odds ratio = 6.90, 95% confidence interval = 3.45-13.82) and tinnitus (adjusted odds ratio = 2.88, 95% confidence interval = 1.13-7.37) were persistently associated with hearing loss. Conclusion: Providing occupational hazard education and enforcement of occupational safety regulations should be taken to decrease the noise exposure level. The regular audiometry test should be conducted for assessment of hearing threshold shift. The employer needs to implement a hearing conservation program in workplace when noise exposure reaches or exceeds 85 dB(A) for 8 hours.

• Journal of Urban Science
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.29-37
• /
• 2021

The number of old buildings older than 30 years in Korea continues to increase from 29.9% in 2005 to 38.8% in 2020. Considering the growing urban regeneration projects, urban maintenance projects, the suppression of urban expansion, and the lack of idle land in the city, the dismantling of old buildings is expected to increase further in the future. As major accidents at building dismantling sites continue to occur, related agencies are also strengthening safety management of building dismantling works. While physical safety management such as collapse and fall is strengthened, there is a relative lack of interest in the health of workers at dismantling sites due to environmental hazards. Since relevant laws stipulate that construction waste should be separated and discharged, old buildings need to be considered for environmental hazards such as fine dust, floating bacteria, and floating molds when dismantling. In this study, we intend to find important safety management elements in the management of building dismantling sites, measure environmental factors harmful to dismantling workers, and present basic data for the management of dismantling sites in the future. "Safety management" was the highest priority, followed by "dust," "vibration," "noise," "bacteria," and "smell." The perception of the importance of "physical damage prevention" with workers working on dismantling and managers managing the site came out similar, but the perception of "work efficiency" and "health disorder prevention" through environmental hazard management showed different priorities. In the process of dismantling, floating bacteria and floating mold were collected, cultured, and measured the concentration in the indoor air. The measurement was measured by dividing it into pre-dismantling and during dismantling.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.180-183
• /
• 1999

A proto-type seismic measurement system with a reference was developed to improve S/N (signal-to-noise ratio) of seismic data, especially in noisy urban areas. Two pairs of correlation measurements (the one for microphone and geophone, and another for electromagnetic (EM) loop and geophone) were carried out near Kimpo Airport and at Kimje. The spectrum analyses were also performed to investigate the correlation of two pairs of time series; one for microphone and geophone, and another for EM loop and geophone. The sound waves measured with the microphone and the geophone are highly correlated. However, differences in the reponses are readily identifiable across 200 Hz; in the vicinity of 100 Hz, the spectral energy for geophone is 20 dB higher than that for microphone, and at near 500 Hz, the spectral energy for microphone is 30 dB higher than that for geophone. Overall, the spectral energy appears concentrated on the frequency window below 600 Hz for geophone. It contrasts with the observation of dominant frequency at the range of above 200 Hz for microphone. The wave forms of EM noise (due to an ACDC inverter) measured with EM loop and geophone are consistently and highly correlated each other. The power spectrum of the EM noise for EM loop shows that the spectral energies at odd harmonic frequencies of 60 Hz are higher than those at even harmonic frequencies of 60 Hz. It is compared to the power spectrum for geophone; the spectral energies at odd harmonics are nearly same as those at even harmonic frequencies.