Monitoring of noise and vibrations in employees of the city maintenance service and golf park

Overview

Ongoing changes on the work market create new risks in the working environment. European agency for safety and health protection at work (EU-OSHA) warned about risk factors in smaller enterprises and plants, in maintenance service and less traditional professions in relation to the prevention of health risk at work. Currently, different machines producing noise are used in open space in cities and sports facilities and they might be the source of excessive vibrations. Therefore, the authors decided to assess exposure to physical factors at manipulation of garden and building technologies. In the framework of preventive medical examinations 36 employees with average age 40.75 ± 11.52 rokov (x̅ ± SD) who have undertaken maintenance service of the city and golf park have been examined. Besides risk of noise and vibrations and load of musculoskeletal apparatus other diversed complementary work activites were assessed in studied individuals (lifting loads, work with soil during gardening, work in high positions, work related to biological risk factors when cleaning sewage systems, work of grave-diggers, etc.). Analysis and evaluation of results of measuring noise using the phonometer Nor.-118 (Norsonic AS, Norway) and measuring vibrations using the apparatus B & K 4366, 4370 revealed the significant health risk of noise and vibrations and thus employees were categorized into the 3^rd and 4^th category of work risk. The proposal of preventive measures was elaborated in cooperation with the employer and the range of necessary monitoring of health status of employees was indicated in relation to the regulation of the MoH SR from March 1, 2010. In relation to the exposure to noise and vibrations during last 1–16 years, neither professional damage from noise nor symptoms of damage from vibrations or a long-term load of extremities were found during preventive medical examinations. The authors discuss benefits of monitoring of professional health service on working environment and health status of employees. The authors suggest that changing different work activities, using protectors against noise, seasonality of noise and vibrations might explain the absence of occupational diseases in studied sample with a relatively low mean age.

Key words:
level of noise and vibrations, machines producing noise, categories of risk working positions, 36 employees, other varied preparatory or complementary working activities, absence of occupational diseases