EVALUATION OF NOISE INDUCED HEARING LOSS IN AIRPORT GROUND HANDLING WORKERS
1İstanbul Medipol Üniversitesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Odyoloji Bölümü,, İstanbul, Turkey2İstanbul Medipol Üniversitesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Odyoloji Bölümü, İstanbul, Turkey
3Turkish Do&Co Airline Catering, İstanbul, Turkey Objective: This study aims to evaluate the hearing loss of airline staff working in different departments according to the noise level they are exposed to and to draw attention to the importance of protection from the negative effects of noise.
Materials and Methods: 512 airline staff working in different departments were included in the study. The noise levels in the departments were determined and grouped. The pure tone audiometry test for job entry and the most recent pure tone audiometry test of the staff participating in the study were scanned. The results were evaluated according to the department and the noise level.
Results: As a result of the evaluation, a statistically significant difference was found in all frequencies of the preparation and delivery staff, (Group 1) (p<0.05). While there was no significant difference in the right ear of 0,25 kHz and 1 kHz in the left ear of the dishwashing staff (Group 2), a statistically significant difference was found in the other frequencies (p<0.05). While there was no significant difference at 0,25, 1, 2 kHz in the right ear and 2 kHz in the left ear of the cleaning staff, (Group 3), a statistically significant difference was found in other frequencies (p<0.05).
Conclusion: It is thought that not using/not using ear protectors correctly for employees exposed to noise cannot provide an effective level of protection. In addition, those working in noisy environments should receive training on how to protect themselves from noise by an expert and different protection/intervention strategies should be applied.
Keywords : Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, Occupational Diseases, Occupational Noise Exposure