Knowledge and practices of printing press workers toward noise-induced hearing loss: Giza Governorate

Abstract

Background High-level noise exposure in the workplace is one of the most common hazards worldwide. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most common occupational disorders. However, little is known about printing press workers’ present level of knowledge and practices about NIHL. Aim To assess knowledge and practices of printing press workers toward NIHL in Giza Governorate. Design A descriptive desitime required for answering the first tool was gn was used to fulfill the aim of this study. Setting The study was conducted at the book sector in Faisal, Giza Governorate, Egypt. Sample A purposive sample of 100 printing press workers was included in the study, who fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: technicians who were exposed to printing press machines, work experience of more than 6 months at the printing press, and exposure to noise for at least 8 h per day. Tools for data collection (a) Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Questionnaire for printing press workers and (b) reported practices checklist. Results The current study result showed that a statistically significant positive correlation was found between total knowledge and total practice scores, and a statistically significant positive correlation was found between the practices of printing press workers and their educational level. A highly statistically significant positive correlation was found between monthly income and workers’ practice. Conclusion More than three-quarters of printing press workers had an unsatisfactory level of knowledge, and the majority of them had an unsatisfactory level of practice. Recommendations The current study recommended that printing workers receive continuous training on safety guidelines and enforce standard safety practices to decrease the hazards of noise in the workplace. Further researches are recommended to find out knowledge and practice among printing press workers on a large scale for generalization.