Chemical-Induced Hearing Loss in Shipyard Workers

Schaal, Nicholas; Slagley, Jeremy; Richburg, Cynthia McCormick; Zreiqat, Majed; Paschold, Helmut

doi:10.1097/jom.0000000000001186

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Researchers’ postulated NIOSH STS evaluation (method 3) is potentially more sensitive in the evaluation of ototoxic effects because of the inclusion of the 500, 1000, and 6000 Hz frequencies (compared to other PTA evaluation methods that omit these frequencies) and the usage of absolute shifts by independent frequency instead of averaging values. These results are consistent with Schaal et al (2018) who found significantly higher levels of hearing loss when considering dB HL at 500 to 6000 Hz in an industrial workforce due to exposure to ototoxicants such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic at OSHA Action Levels and ototoxicants such as toluene and xylene at sub-OEL concentrations. Chang et al (2006) found similar results due to combined toluene and noise exposure that increased hearing thresholds at 1000 and 2000 Hz.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…This study reported a 70% increased OR despite organic solvent mixture exposures being estimated below OELs (Kaufman et al 2005). Evaluating exposures for civilians conducting shipyard work, Schaal et al (2018) assessed 1266 personnel exposed to high/low concentration combinations of noise, ototoxic solvents, and ototoxic metals. Results identified significantly greater hearing level shifts at 2000 Hz, shifts averaged across 2000 to 4000 Hz, and shifts averaged across 500 to 6000 Hz for high metal/solvent compared to low metal/solvent groups with similar noise exposures (Schaal et al 2018).…”

Section: Ototoxicantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pure Tone Audiometry Evaluation Method Effectiveness in Detecting Hearing Changes Due to Workplace Ototoxicant, Continuous Noise, and Impulse Noise Exposures

2021

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Objectives:The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to compare the relative risks (RR) of hearing impairment due to co-exposure of continuous noise, impulse noise, metal ototoxicants, and organic solvent ototoxicants using several pure tone audiometry (PTA) evaluation methods.Design: Noise and ototoxicant exposure and PTA records were extracted from a DoD longitudinal repository and were analyzed for U.S. Air Force personnel (n = 2372) at a depot-level aircraft maintenance activity at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma using an historical cohort study design. Eight similar exposure groups based on combinations of ototoxicant and noise exposure were created: (1) Continuous noise (reference group); (2) Continuous noise + Impulse noise; (3) Metal exposure + Continuous noise; (4) Metal exposure + Continuous noise + Impulse noise; (5) Solvent exposure + Continuous noise; (6) Solvent exposure + Continuous noise + Impulse noise; (7) Metal exposure + Solvent exposure + Continuous noise; and (8) Metal exposure + Solvent exposure + Continuous noise + Impulse noise. RR of hearing impairment compared to the Continuous noise-exposed reference group was assessed with five PTA evaluation methods including (1) U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Significant Threshold Shift (STS), (2) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) age-adjusted STS, (3) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) STS, (4) NIOSH Material Hearing Impairment, and (5) All Frequency Threshold Average. Results:Hearing impairment was significantly worse for SEG (2) combined exposure to continuous noise and impulse noise only for the PTA evaluation method (2) OSHA Age Adjusted with an RR of 3.11, [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.16-8.31] and was nearly significantly different using PTA evaluation method (4) NIOSH Material Hearing Impairment with an RR of 3.16 (95% CI, 0.99-10.15). Despite no significant differences for SEGs with an ototoxicant exposure, PTA evaluation method (3) NIOSH STS was most sensitive in detecting hearing changes for SEG (8) Metal exposure + Solvent exposure + Continuous noise + Impulse noise as demonstrated by a RR of 1.12 (95% CI, 0.99-1.27). Conclusions:Results suggest that a single PTA evaluation technique may not be adequate in fully revealing hearing impairment risk due to all stressors and tailoring the PTA evaluation technique to the hazards present in the workplace could better detect hearing impairment. Additionally, results suggest that PTA may not be effective as the sole technique for evaluating hearing impairment due to ototoxicant exposure with continuous noise co-exposure.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Ototoxicantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pure Tone Audiometry Evaluation Method Effectiveness in Detecting Hearing Changes Due to Workplace Ototoxicant, Continuous Noise, and Impulse Noise Exposures

2021

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“…Estudo recente identificou relação estatisticamente significativa entre os níveis de tolueno e maior possibilidade de acometimento de perda auditiva nas altas frequências (Staudt et al, 2019). Além disso, sabese que a exposição a fatores combinados (ruído e produtos químicos) costuma ser mais danosa do que a exposição exclusiva ao ruído (Schaal et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Impacto da exposição ao ruído e tolueno na audição de trabalhadores de uma indústria do ramo de calçados

Araújo¹,

Silva²,

Batista

et al. 2022

RSD

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Introdução: O ruído pode trazer consigo outros fatores agravantes, como o tolueno, no ambiente ocupacional. Estudos sugerem que a exposição concomitante a ambos os agentes pode causar alterações auditivas mais severas, do que a apenas um deles. Objetivo: Investigar o impacto da exposição ao ruído e tolueno na saúde auditiva de trabalhadores de uma indústria do ramo de calçados e materiais esportivos. Método: Foram analisados os dados audiométricos de 729 trabalhadores de uma indústria calçadista e de materiais esportivos, que possui Programa de Prevenção de Perdas Auditivas (PPPA) implantado e em execução, com três grupos de trabalhadores: (1) expostos ao ruído e ao tolueno, (2) expostos apenas ao ruído e (3) não expostos. Realizou-se cruzamento entre as variáveis, tipo e tempo de exposição aos agentes e sexo. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética do Hospital Universitário Lauro Wanderley sob parecer nº 2.164.722. Resultados: Não foi encontrada relação estatisticamente significativa entre a média dos limiares auditivos e os grupos estudados. Entre os trabalhadores expostos, houve correlação positiva, porém desprezível, entre o tempo e os limiares auditivos, sendo este último significativamente maior, nos indivíduos do sexo masculino. Conclusão: Na indústria estudada, não foram identificadas diferenças significativas na audição de trabalhadores expostos apenas a ruído, expostos a ruído e tolueno e não expostos.

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“…Wood furniture industry is considered one of the noisiest working environments. Hearing could be adversely affected due to exposure to noise and solvents (5) . Moreover, Batkus et al (6) found that noise levels exceeded the permissible limits in 77% of the surveyed wood furniture workplaces in Lithuania.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ventilatory and Auditory Findings among Workers in Asal’s Furniture Factory at New Damietta City, Damietta Governorate, Egypt

Ibrahim¹,

El-Hussiny²,

Wehedy³

et al. 2022

The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine

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Background: Wood furniture production is one of the most hazardous industries. The workers are subjected to several hazards involving exposure to wood dust, solvents, isocyanates, finishes and noise. Objective: To determine ventilatory and auditory findings among workers in Asal's furniture factory at New Damietta City, Damietta Governorate, Egypt. Patients and Methods: A descriptive comparative cross-sectional study was carried out on 183 wood furniture workers in Asal's furniture factory at New Damietta city, Damietta governorate and a matched comparison group, during the period from February 1, 2018 to November 24, 2018. Results: The averages of the measured wood dust concentrations and noise levels were within the Egyptian maximum permissible limits, except for the noise levels in the woodworking building which were higher than the maximum permissible limits [90.8±7.1dB(A)]. As regards the ventilatory lung functions measurements among both woodworkers and finishing group, the means± SD of both measured and percent predicted values of FEV1/FVC, peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and FEF 25-75% were lower than those of the comparison group with a statistically significant difference (p≤0.05). Finishing workers had a statistically significant (p≤0.001) higher prevalence of obstructive ventilatory pattern. Sensorineural hearing loss was significantly (p≤0.005) prevalent among both woodworkers (26.2%) and the finishing workers (18%) compared to the comparison group (2.4%). Criteria of NIHL were met in 81.3% of woodworkers with sensorineural hearing loss, who accounted for 21.3% of all woodworkers. Conclusion:The workplace environment in Asal's furniture factory adversely affects the ventilatory and auditory functions of their workers.

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Chemical-Induced Hearing Loss in Shipyard Workers

Abstract: Simultaneous exposures classified as high for metals/solvents/noise appear to damage hearing more than exposure to noise alone. Hearing conservation programs should take into consideration combined exposures to metals, solvents, and noise, not simply exposure to noise.

Cited by 14 publications

References 23 publications

Pure Tone Audiometry Evaluation Method Effectiveness in Detecting Hearing Changes Due to Workplace Ototoxicant, Continuous Noise, and Impulse Noise Exposures

Pure Tone Audiometry Evaluation Method Effectiveness in Detecting Hearing Changes Due to Workplace Ototoxicant, Continuous Noise, and Impulse Noise Exposures

Impacto da exposição ao ruído e tolueno na audição de trabalhadores de uma indústria do ramo de calçados

Ventilatory and Auditory Findings among Workers in Asal’s Furniture Factory at New Damietta City, Damietta Governorate, Egypt

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