P Nassiri , F Golbabaei , A Ahmadi-Assour, K Nouri,
Volume 1, Issue 2 (5-2003)
Abstract
This study has been carried out in two shoe-making factories in Tehran with the aim ofevaluating the cobined effects of noise and toluene on the workers' hearing.
Sixty four workers were assigned to three groups according to their exposure to noise andtoluene. 33 were exposed to noise (group 0), 5 to toluene (group 1) and 26 to noise andtoluene (group 2).The concentration were measured in the workers' breathing zone as well as A-weightedsound Pressure level, LPA and equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure levelover 30 minuets , leq (30") A in head position of workers. Then noise level was calculatedand hearing thresholds measured in 500 - 400 Hz frequencey range.The amounts of air and bone hearing los were caluculated. Results indicate that therelationship between hearing loss caused by noise (group 0) and noise and toluene (group2) was statistically significant, P<0.05. Hearing loss due to toluene in mid frequency washigher than in higher frequencies.
