scholarly journals TASK ANALYSIS ON MAINTENANCE WORKER (RAIL GRINDER) OF LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT (LRT)

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (Special1) ◽  
pp. 223-230
Author(s):  
Jacquelyne AB ◽  
Azlis-Sani J ◽  
Nor Azali A ◽  
Nur-Annuar M ◽  
Shahrul Azhar S ◽  
...  

Rail maintenance routines are necessary to enable the all rail operations to achieve its aim in maintaining a safe and efficient operation. The maintenance tasks expose the workers to vibration and noise, as they handle specialized machineries and heavy self-propelled vehicles. Exposure of noise above the permissible exposure limit and over the daily allowable duration may cause noise-induce hearing loss (NIHL). Investigation on the type of task that has high noise level exposure on the maintenance workers was conducted to justify the needs to further detailed of this study. This paper will describe the task analysis on maintenance workers and to identify possible tasks with exposure to high level of noise. It scopes down to grinding crew of the maintenance department of light rail transit. Methods used were real-time sound measurement using a sound level meter, observation and interviews. Then, data were analysed to understand the situation of exposure of noise during rail maintenance. An ergonomic risk assessment was also conducted by adoption of the latest guideline on Ergonomic Risk Assessment (ERA) at Workplace Guidelines recommended by Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Malaysia. A hierarchical task analysis (HTA) was generated on the task of the maintenance worker, focusing on rail grinding crew. The newly generated HTA had allowed better understanding about the nature of work and the task conducted by a rail grinder during the work shifts. Tasks involving high noise level was identified. Data recorded shows that the noise level for the blowing activity was relatively high and exceeded the permissible exposure limit of 90dBA. The exposure level was currently controlled by practicing the usage of hearing protection equipment (HPE) and by controlling exposure time in accordance to recommendations of the Factory and Machinery Act (FMA). Thus, it had confirmed that maintenance workers were exposed to high noise levels when performing their daily task. Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between the duration of exposure and noise-induce hearing loss (NIHL) with consideration of the lifestyles of the maintenance workers.

Author(s):  
Tinh Thai ◽  
Petr Kučera ◽  
Ales Bernatik

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is a global issue that is caused by many factors. The purpose of this study was to survey noise level to identify NIHL and its relationship with other factors in cement plants in Vietnam. Noise level was measured at one cement plant and three cement grinding stations located in the South of Vietnam. The audiometric data of exposed workers were surveyed to determine NIHL. Finally, the relationship between NIHL and noise level in cement plants was determined. The results show that noise level in almost all processes exceeded the permissible exposure limit (PEL). In this study, 42 cases (10% of exposed workers) with occupational NIHL were found with mean age (SD) of 49 (9.0) years. All NIHL cases were found in the departments in which the noise level exceeded the PEL, which included quarry (n = 16), maintenance (n = 12), production (n = 10), co-waste processing (n = 3) and quality assurance (n = 1). There was a positive and significant correlation between the NIHL and the excessive noise exposure in the cement plants (r = 0.89, p = 0.04).


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Riscky B. Lauw

Abstract: Hearing loss due to noise (Noise Induced Hearing Loss - NIHL) is hearing impairment, either part or all, loss, irreversible, occur in one or both ears, can be mild, moderate or severe, occurs because of exposure to the constant noise from the environment. The musician is one of the communities that are susceptible to noise induced hearing loss. Musicians had considerable exposure to noise. Most musicians have a hearing loss in varying degrees. The research objective is to determine the profile of hearing loss in the musicians in Manado, researching threshold musical sound that can cause hearing loss, and looking for a relationship with duration of music exposure to hearing loss. Research is explanatory research, analytical research methods and cross-sectional approach. Research conducted on hearing music group in the City of Manado. The study involved 30 people with the details of 15 respondents guitar players and 15 drummers. The result is: The degree of noise in the gym most of the 110-130 dB, experienced by 46.7% of respondents, mostly studied band of men which is about 90%. Hearing loss is the most followed by drummer and then gitarist, 46.7% and 36.6%, respectively; based upon long exposure to music,> 5 years 46.6%, based on length of exercise per day, more in the 3-4 hours it is 40%. Based on the result of the study, there is a relationship between noise exposure and hearing loss in musicians in the city of Manado. The noise level, exposure time per day, duration of exposure and vulnerability of respondents, closely related to hearing loss disorder the musicians in this study. Keywords: Hearing loss, the noise level, duration of exposure, musicians.Abstrak: Noise induce hearing loss (NIHL) atau gangguan pendengaran akibat kebisingan adalah gangguan pendengaran baik sebagian atau seluruh pendengaran, bersifat menetap, terjadi pada satu atau dua telinga, dapat bersifat ringan, sedang atau berat, terjadi karena paparan bising yang terus-menerus dari lingkungan. Pemusik adalah salah satu komunitas yang rentan terhadap gangguan pendengaran akibat bising. Pemusik mengalami paparan suara yang begitu besar. Kebanyakan pemusik mengalami gangguan pendengaran dalam berbagai derajat. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui profil gangguan pendengaran pemusik di kota manado, meneliti ambang batas suara musik yang dapat menyebabkan gangguan pendengaran serta mencari hubungan lama paparan musik dengan gangguan pendengaran. Penelitian bersifat Explanatory Research, dengan metode penelitian analitik dan pendekatan cross sectional. Penelitian gangguan pendengaran dilakukan pada kelompok musik di Kota Manado. Penelitian ini melibatkan 30 orang responden dengan rincian 15 pemain gitar dan 15 pemain drum. Hasil yang diperoleh adalah: Derajat kebisingan pada tempat latihan paling banyak antara 110-130 dB, dialami oleh 46,7 % responden, personil band yang diteliti kebanyakan laki-laki yaitu sekitar 90 %. Gangguan pendengaran terbanyak adalah pemain drum diikuti oleh gitaris 46,7 % and 36,6 %. Berdasarkan lama paparan musik, > 5 tahun 46,6 %; berdasarkan lama latihan per hari, lebih banyak pada 3-4 jam yaitu 40 %. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian kesimpulannya, terdapat hubungan antara paparan kebisingan dan gangguan pendengaran pada pemusik di Kota Manado. Tingkat kebisingan, waktu paparan perhari, lama terpapar serta kerentanan responden, berhubungan erat dengan pendengaran pada pemusik pada penelitian ini. Kata kunci: Gangguan pendengaran, tingkat kebisingan, lama paparan, pemusik.


1989 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 310-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Chavalitsakulchai ◽  
H Shahnavaz

Hearing loss induced in thirty female workers because of exposure to continuous noise was studied in a plastic bag plant in Samutprakarn Province, the largest industrial zone in Thailand. The sound level in this plant was 98.5 dBA., 94.0 dBA. and 93.0 dBA. in the weaving, winding and warping sections, respectively. Results of an audiometric test showed a significant relationship between high noise level and hearing loss at frequency 4, 000 Hz. A questionnaire survey found that a relatively high number of workers had various symptoms such as: 76.7% general fatigue, 70% headache, 63.3% ear distension and 56.7% vertigo. Concerning the usage of ear protective devices, it was found that 80% of the workers have never used such devices, 16.7% occasionally used them, and 3.3% have always used cotton wool to reduce the high noise level. Their reasons for non-use of ear protective devices were 1) not provided by the employer (86.7%), 2) not necessary (83.3%), 3) accustomed to the noise (63.3%), 4) nobody uses (56.7%), and 5) no loud noise (16.7%). These results point to the need for improving the work conditions and welfare services of the workers at this plant. Also, hearing conservation programmes can be instituted in developing countries through cooperation among the safety inspectorate, the employer and the workers.


1997 ◽  
Vol 1571 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Botte Bates ◽  
Dennis J. Wahl

Virtually all public works projects require a substantial planning effort to identify impacts, costs, and alternatives. Federal and state laws and regulations call for certain levels of public involvement during planning, but meaningful, collaborative public involvement entails doing more than the minimum requirements. This is particularly true when there appears to be an imbalance in public input, where one viewpoint is heard above others. The San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB) has undertaken efforts on two corridor projects to expand its public involvement in ways that maximize the range of community views, enhance project design, and build support for the project. In addition to the traditional public meetings, newsletters, and open houses, MTDB has used public relations firms, neutral facilitators, and staff outreach to achieve expanded public involvement goals. MTDB has found that, while there are risks and costs associated with these approaches, they ultimately result in better projects that receive more widespread public and political acceptance.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0739456X2199391
Author(s):  
Margaret Ellis-Young ◽  
Brian Doucet

Most studies of transit-induced gentrification rely on statistical analysis that measures the extent to which gentrification is occurring. To extend and enhance our knowledge of its impact, we conducted sixty-five interviews with residents living along the light rail transit (LRT) corridor in Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada, shortly before the system opened. There was already strong evidence of gentrification, with more than $3 billion (Canadian dollars) worth of investment, largely in condominiums, before a single passenger was carried. In line with contemporary critical conceptualizations of gentrification, our interviews identified new and complex psychological, phenomenological, and experiential aspects of gentrification, in addition to economic- or class-based changes.


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