Occupational noise exposure in natural stone processing plants

Occupational noise exposure is a serious physical risk factor leading to occupational diseasesincluding hearing loss. In this study, occupational noise measurements taken at seven naturalstone processing plants operating in Sivas, Turkey and its environs are evaluated in accordancewith the task-based assessment method given in TS EN ISO 9612-2009 standard. Though theprocesses in natural stone processing plants are similar, significant differences were observedin the noise levels, which are often above the limits specified in the relevant regulation. Thehighest noise levels to which workers were exposed are S/T, bridge cutting, sizing/honing,head/side cutting machines while the lowest noise levels were from narrow polishing machineand gang saw machines. In plants B, F and G the S/T block cutting machines, in plants B andD the head/side cutting machines, in plants C and E the sizing/honing machines and in plantD the bridged cutting and narrow polishing machines exposed workers to noise levels abovethe lowest exposure action value of 80 dBA. The bridge cutting machine in plant D exposedthe workers to noise levels above the highest exposure action value of 85 dBA. High noiseemitting machines were proposed to be isolated in separate compartments.