Considerations about noise aspects in the EEC draft directive physical agents
report
This report contains an overview of and considerations about the Working Draft of a future EEC Directive Physical Agents (draft 1991). The overview in this report is limited to noise exposure. The Draft gives minimum regulations concerning the protection of workers and prevention against the risks to their health and safety from exposure to physical agents such as noise. From research in the Netherlands industry it is estimated that 70 to 80 % of the industrial workers are exposed to noise above the threshold value, given in the Draft. The implementation of the Directive will therefore have extensive implications. In the report it is shown that the risk of noise-induced hearing loss is negligible if the exposure is below the threshold level, even for lifetime exposures. However, several critical observations are made, concerning: insufficient adequacy of hearing protection at the ceiling level of 90 dB (A); no specification for strict audiometric measuring conditions; no specification of ear diseases; no incorporation of health surveillance for general health effects such as cardio-vascular diseases and stress.
Topics
TNO Identifier
162751
Publisher
TNO
Collation
15 p.
Place of publication
Leiden