Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Sarah M. Tittman, Robert J. Yawn, Nauman Manzoor, Matthew M. Dedmon, David S. Haynes, Alejandro Rivas
Summary: This study measured and reported noise exposure at urban music venues, comparing them to NIOSH guidelines to assess the risk of noise-induced hearing loss. The results showed that smartphone applications with external calibrated microphones can provide useful sound measurements, indicating that patrons at randomly sampled music venues may face a risk of noise-induced hearing loss with prolonged exposure.
Article
Acoustics
Robson Silva Passos, Cecilia Alexandra Abreu Coelho da Rocha, Antonio Pedro Oliveira de Carvalho, Luiz Bueno da Silva, Ricardo Luis Alves da Silva
Summary: Research has shown that noise produced during fireworks events can pose health risks to children, adolescents, and young adults, highlighting the need for better noise management and control measures. Excessive noise levels were found in many events, exceeding safety limits, indicating the necessity for noise control measures to protect the health of attendees.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Israel Paul Nyarubeli, Alexander Mtemi Tungu, Stale Pallesen, Bente Elisabeth Moen, Simon Henry David Mamuya
Summary: This study aimed to develop a questionnaire to predict the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) among manufacturing factory workers. The questionnaire, consisting of 24 items, was developed through three steps: item formulation, expert content review, and field pre-test. The questionnaire covered seven domains including perceived self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, interpersonal influences, situational influences, and safety climate. The questionnaire showed satisfactory content validity and item reliability.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Otorhinolaryngology
Hao Yuan, Peng-Wei Ma, Jia-Wei Chen, Wei-Long Wang, Wei Gao, Pei-Heng Lu, Xue-Rui Ding, Yu-Qiang Lun, Lian-Jun Lu
Summary: The purpose of this study was to explore the diagnostic auditory indicators of high noise exposure and develop a diagnostic model for high noise exposure and potential development of hidden hearing loss (HHL). The results showed that the DPOAE and ECochG indices were lower in the high noise exposure group, while the ABR and speech discrimination scores were higher. A combination diagnostic indicator, consisting of the 10 kHz DPOAE, ABR wave III amplitude, and speech discrimination score, was constructed and showed high sensitivity and specificity.
EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Gethin Manuel, David C. Waddington
Summary: The assessment and identification of measures to reduce risks from occupational exposure to impulsive noise for hearing protection is an important but neglected technical area. This study examines best practices for assessing auditory hazards associated with impulsive blast noise and provides a summary of measurement methodologies and relevant guidance for selecting hearing protection in the context of near-field impulsive noise. The results show that the current UK best practice, using the adapted HML method, is effective in comparing personnel exposures to national regulations. However, there are uncertainties in accounting for excessive low-frequency content and multiple pressure peaks in the evaluation of hearing protector performance.
Article
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Vincent Nadon, Fabien Bonnet, Rachel E. Bouserhal, Antoine Bernier, Jeremie Voix
Summary: The use of in-ear noise dosimeters (IEND) is increasing to measure the effective noise exposure level of workers with hearing protection devices. A method to alleviate issues with IENDs by filtering sound captured by an outer-ear microphone is proposed, allowing for estimation of the protection level provided by earplugs. The proposed method is validated on audio recordings from 16 industrial workers.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Zhihao Shi, Xin Wang, Xiangjing Gao, Hongwei Xie, Lifang Zhou, Meibian Zhang
Summary: This study aimed to validate the application of cumulative noise exposure (CNE) adjusted by kurtosis in evaluating occupational hearing loss associated with non-Gaussian noise among manufacturing workers. The results showed that the kurtosis-adjusted CNE metric was more effective than CNE alone in assessing occupational hearing loss in a non-Gaussian noise environment.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Sunil Kumar Vaddamanu, Fahad Hussain Alhamoudi, Rayan Ibrahim H. Binduhayyim, AlBandary Hassan Aljameel, Maram Ali M. Alwadi, Marco Di Blasio, Marco Cicciu, Giuseppe Minervini
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of noise production in dental technology laboratories on the hearing capacity of dental technicians. The results showed that as the working experience increased, there was a significant threshold shift at 4000 to 6000 Hz, indicating sensorineural hearing impairment induced by the noisy dental environment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jaewoo Shin, Seokwon Lee, Kyoungho Lee, Hyunwook Kim
Summary: This study aimed to characterize occupational noise exposure levels of shipbuilding workers during break periods and found that workers in shipbuilding processes, particularly in departments like painting, were exposed to high levels of noise during break times. It is recommended to monitor noise exposure for at least 6 hours per day, including break periods, to accurately assess and mitigate noise exposure risks.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Dorothy W. Pan, Janet S. Choi, Albert Hokan, Joni K. Doherty
Summary: In the United States, the risk of hearing loss due to occupational noise exposure has been increasing, but the use of hearing protection in the working population remains low. Factors such as age, gender, education level, and race are associated with higher rates of hearing protection use.
OTOLOGY & NEUROTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Tiffany R. Bellomo, Sanjana Prasad, Jacob Abou-Hanna, Sai Talluru, Yanjun Xie, Linyan Wang, Glenn E. Green, Richard L. Neitzel
Summary: This study evaluated noise exposure in various places of worship in Washtenaw County, Michigan, and found that the noise level was significantly higher in Non-denominational places of worship compared to others. Having three or more vocal ensemble members also significantly increased the noise level for audience and podium. Some measured services exceeded the recommended noise exposure limits, indicating the need for potential noise reduction interventions in places of worship.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sofie Degeest, Hannah Keppler, Bart Vinck
Summary: Adolescents often engage in noisy leisure activities, which can lead to hearing-related problems. However, the impact of leisure noise exposure depends on an individual's risk-taking behavior. Understanding leisure noise activities and factors related to risk-taking behavior in adolescents is crucial for improving hearing conservation programs targeting youth.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Chanbeom Kwak, Woojae Han
Summary: The study evaluated the effectiveness of hearing protection devices and found significant performance in sound attenuation. However, there was no significant impact on sound localization and speech perception when using HPDs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Review
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Sheneen Meghji, John Phillips
Summary: This study aimed to explore the relationship between noise exposure and audiometric notching at specific frequencies, including 84 articles involving 1,438,987 individuals of different age groups. The results indicated that the relationship between noise exposure and 3-6 kHz audiometric notching is not straightforward, requiring further research.
Article
Neurosciences
Yingjun Wang, Wenping Xiong, Xiao Sun, Kunpeng Lu, Fujia Duan, Haibo Wang, Mingming Wang
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors associated with unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) related to environmental noise exposure before its onset. The findings showed that compared to unilateral SSNHL patients without exposure to obvious inducing factors before onset, patients exposed to environmental noise had a longer time to treatment, higher final pure-tone average, lower hearing gain, lower rate of vestibular dysfunction, and lower effective rate. Time to treatment and final pure-tone average were associated with the prognosis of patients exposed to environmental noise.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Hector Ignacio Castellucci, Carlos Viviani, Pedro Arezes, Johan F. M. Molenbroek, Marta Martinez, Veronica Aparici
Summary: This study found that existing office furniture standards did not match the anthropometric measurements of the majority of individuals, with seat width and depth presenting the lowest levels of match, but adjustability helped alleviate this issue. Commercial chair height options hindered the implementation of perching.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Luis Sigcha, Ignacio Pavon, Nelson Costa, Susana Costa, Miguel Gago, Pedro Arezes, Juan Manuel Lopez, Guillermo De Arcas
Summary: A novel approach using smartwatches and multitask classification models can accurately assess resting tremor in Parkinson's disease patients without interfering with their daily lives. Results show high agreement with clinical assessments, indicating the potential for early-stage disease monitoring and improvement of Parkinson's disease clinical evaluation.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ana Colim, Rita Morgado, Paula Carneiro, Nelson Costa, Carlos Faria, Nuno Sousa, Luis A. Rocha, Pedro Arezes
Summary: This study analyzed an industrial implementation of a collaborative robotic workstation, showing that the hybrid workstation achieved a reduction of production times, an improvement of ergonomic conditions, and an enhancement of workers' wellbeing through a multi-method approach.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Hernani Veloso Neto, Pedro Arezes, Beda Barkokebas Junior
Summary: Values, attitudes, and safety behaviors expressed by workers are crucial for determining a company's success in safety and health at work. The research findings indicated an overall positive safety climate within the company, with the quality of safety communication being an area for improvement. Factors such as safety training and communication quality have a favorable impact on worker safety maturity and risk perception.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Maria L. de la Hoz-Torres, Antonio J. Aguilar, Nelson Costa, Pedro Arezes, Diego P. Ruiz, Maria Dolores Martinez-Aires
Summary: This study investigated the impact of post-epidemic protocols on indoor environmental conditions in higher education buildings of Portuguese and Spanish universities. Despite effective air renewal protocols and low CO2 concentrations, students were dissatisfied with the current indoor environmental conditions. Significant differences were found in preferences between Portuguese and Spanish students.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
G. Bravo, H. Castellucci, M. Lavalliere, P. M. Arezes, M. Martinez, G. Duarte
Summary: The study found that older workers are more likely to have fatal and disabling accidents in work-related incidents, with higher associated costs. The observed odds ratio trend remained stable during the period from 2015 to 2019.
Article
Ergonomics
Cristian Castillo, Mohammad Shahriari, Fabricio Casarejos, Pedro Arezes
Summary: This study developed a tool that contains leading operational indicators in occupational safety and health, and prioritized these indicators based on consensus among groups of experts.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Delfina Ramos, Teresa Cotrim, Pedro Arezes, Joao Baptista, Matilde Rodrigues, Joao Leitao
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Luis Sigcha, Beatriz Dominguez, Luigi Borzi, Nelson Costa, Susana Costa, Pedro Arezes, Juan Manuel Lopez, Guillermo De Arcas, Ignacio Pavon
Summary: The study demonstrates the use of consumer smartwatches and machine learning models to detect bradykinesia and evaluate its severity in Parkinson's disease patients. The combination of motion sensors in smartwatches and ML algorithms provides an unobtrusive solution for assessing motor symptoms.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ana Lucia Gadelha de Moura Lima, Susana Costa, Nelson Costa, Celina P. Leao, Anna S. P. Moraes, Miguel Carvalho, Tiago Atalaia, Rodrigo B. Martins, Joao Martiniano, Pedro Arezes, Fernando Duarte
Summary: Knowledge of ergonomics/human factors contributes to the creation of safety shoes and insoles, providing worker protection, comfort, and stability. This study compared previous insole designs and analyzed plantar pressure and gait pattern using the Oxford foot model protocol. The innovative insole showed better load distribution in terms of maximum plantar pressure in the hindfoot and forefoot regions. Biomechanical analysis of gait did not show significant variations in foot mechanics, except for the hallux joint which had higher amplitude and variability compared to barefoot conditions.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Maria L. de la Hoz-torres, Antonio J. Aguilar, Nelson Costa, Pedro Arezes, Diego P. Ruiz, Ma Dolores Martinez-Aires
Summary: Providing suitable indoor thermal conditions is crucial for students' performance and well-being in educational buildings. A field survey was conducted to analyze and evaluate the clothing insulation of university students. A predictive clothing insulation model was developed using an artificial neural network algorithm, considering various factors such as indoor and outdoor temperatures, radiant temperature, gender, and season. The model showed good performance compared to the ASHRAE-55 Standard.
Article
Ergonomics
Hernani Veloso Neto, Pedro Arezes, Beda Barkokebas Junior
Summary: Surveys are commonly used to assess safety opinions, attitudes, and behaviors of workers, reflecting an organization's safety culture. This study validated a tool from Portugal in Brazil and confirmed that the questionnaire on occupational safety culture and climate can maintain its original factorial structure when applied to Brazilian workers of different characteristics.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS
(2022)
Review
Ergonomics
Gonzalo Bravo, Carlos Viviani, Martin Lavalliere, Pedro Arezes, Marta Martinez, Iman Dianat, Sara Braganca, Hector Castellucci
Summary: Aging populations are increasing around the world, and this study found that older workers are more susceptible to fatal injuries while younger workers are more likely to experience non-fatal injuries.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Demography
Hector Castellucci, Carlos Viviani, Giorgio Boccardo, Pedro Arezes, Angelo Bartsch, Marta Martinez, Veronica Aparici, Johan F. M. Molenbroek, Sara Braganca
Summary: Chile has seen improvements in its economy and gender equality, with a reduction in sexual height dimorphism being strongly associated with greater gender equality and some general welfare indicators. However, there are still issues with female labor participation and women in political power that require attention and further improvement.
JOURNAL OF BIOSOCIAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ergonomics
Ana Colim, Pedro Arezes, Paulo Flores, Pedro Ribeiro Rocha Monteiro, Ines Mesquita, Ana Cristina Braga
Summary: This study analyzed and compared muscular activity in subjects with different levels of obesity during vertical handling tasks. The results showed that obesity influences the percentage of maximum contraction, leading to increased muscular effort during VHT. This suggests that obesity is a relevant musculoskeletal risk factor in VHT.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS
(2021)