Evaluating Occupational Noise Exposure as a Contributor to Injury Risk among Miners

Abstract

Objectives This study: (i) assessed the relationship between noise exposure and injury risk, comprehensively adjusting for individual factors, psychosocial stressors, and organizational influences; (ii) determined the relative importance of noise on injuries; (iii) estimated the lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL) of noise on injury risk to determine the threshold of noise considered hazardous to injuries; and (iv) quantified the fraction of injuries that could be attributed to hazardous noise exposure. Methods In this cross-sectional study at 10 US surface mine sites, traditional mixed effects, Poisson regression, and boosted regression tree (BRT) models were run on the number of reported work-related injuries in the last year. The LOAEL of noise on injuries was identified by estimating the percent increase in work-related injuries at different thresholds of noise exposure using a counterfactual estimator through the BRT model. A population attributable fraction (PAF) was quantified with this counterfactual estimator to predict reductions in injuries at the LOAEL. Results Among 18 predictors of work-related injuries, mine site, perceived job safety, age, and sleepiness were the most important predictors. Occupational noise exposure was the seventh most important predictor. The LOAEL of noise for work-related injuries was a full-shift exposure of 88 dBA. Exposure ≥88 dBA was attributed to 20.3% (95% CI: 11.2%, 29.3%) of reported work-related injuries in the last year among the participants. Conclusions This study further supports hypotheses of a dose–response relationship between occupational noise exposure and work-related injuries, and suggests that exposures ≥88 dBA may increase injury risk in mining.

A current affair: worker perceptions of noise exposure and occupational hearing loss in Australian coal mines

“…A recent study in the United States investigated the relationship between noise exposure and the risk of injury among mine workers, finding a definitive dose–response relationship between noise exposure and work-related injuries. Where noise exposure exceeded 88 dB(A), a 17.9% increase in work-related injuries were observed ( Shkembi et al 2022 ). These findings align with previous research on the relationship between noise exposure and risk of injury ( Neitzel et al 2016 ), highlighting the co-benefit of addressing noise exposure, particularly in mining where the noise exposure levels are typically high.…”