Assessing Noise Exposures in Farm Youths
Author: Lander, Lina
Date Published: 2007
This study evaluated the feasibility of field exposure assessment methods to characterize the noise sources and levels that farm youths experience during a typical workday. The average age was 15.5 years. Youths started working at an average age of 8.4 years and during the summer months worked an average of 41.3 hours per week. Two youths exceeded the OSHA action level, having 8-hour time weighted averages of 95 dBA and 92 dBA. Participants exceeding the action level reported working with tractors, skid steers (Bobcats), and all-terrain vehicles and doing general barn work. Additional sources of noise exposure included a mechanical silo elevator, chain saw, and wood splitter.
Date Published: 2007
This study evaluated the feasibility of field exposure assessment methods to characterize the noise sources and levels that farm youths experience during a typical workday. The average age was 15.5 years. Youths started working at an average age of 8.4 years and during the summer months worked an average of 41.3 hours per week. Two youths exceeded the OSHA action level, having 8-hour time weighted averages of 95 dBA and 92 dBA. Participants exceeding the action level reported working with tractors, skid steers (Bobcats), and all-terrain vehicles and doing general barn work. Additional sources of noise exposure included a mechanical silo elevator, chain saw, and wood splitter.
