Noise Exposure Assessment of Three Adolescents Living on Farms in Northwestern Ohio

ABSTRACT

A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-funded pilot project was conducted to evaluate both occupational and nonoccupational noise exposures of persons living and working on farms in northwestern Ohio. Noise exposure monitoring was conducted for 1 week during each farming season: planting, growing, and harvesting. Three families completed the monitoring process, including three adolescents. Child 1 was a high school student who assisted on the farm part-time, including driving tractors and other heavy machinery. Child 2 and Child 3 were home-schooled and performed some chores daily but did not operate any machinery. Child 1 wore the dosimeter a total of 130.85 hours, including 91.55 hours at school, and performed 8.25 hours of farming. Child 2 wore the dosimeter 60.33 hours and performed 4.87 hours of farm work. Child 2 also performed non-farm activities and wore the dosimeter 1 day during home schooling for 4.97 hours. Child 3 wore the dosimeter 47.68 hours and performed 4.87 hours of farm work. Child 3 also performed non-farm activities and wore the dosimeter for 13.33 hours during home schooling. No standards exist for noise exposure during agricultural operations. However, one exposure for Child 1 would have exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)/NIOSH guideline.

KEYWORDS

Farm - noise - adolescents

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