Evaluation of Noise Levels in Different Industrial Sectors within the Gaza Strip: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Noise presents health and social problems in industrial operations and is mainly related to machinery use. Noise is an important factor that affects work environment, and consequently affects both workers' health and efficiency. The US OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) specify six on-the-job physical hazards to health, noise is one of those hazards. There is little or no information about occupational noise exposure of workers within industrial and manufacturing sectors in the Gaza Strip. This is due to the difficulty of conducting noise exposure surveillance in such occupations and the lack of awareness regarding this issue. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the exposure of workers in different industrial sectors to occupational noise using a combined measurement and questionnaire approach The present study was conducted in different utilities industries in the Gaza Strip, in order to evaluate the noise levels at those factories and to develop awareness campaign among those workers. From the obtained data, it can be seen that almost all workers are exposed to higher noise levels than the recommended one by OSHA. Therefore it is necessary to start awareness campaign which informs the workers about noise as an occupational hazard.