Noise Sources, Exposure, health effects and Control in Iron & Steel Foundry

Somnath Sen

Abstract

Foundries are one of the oldest industries and the most basic of all metallurgical processes, with two main procedures performed in a foundry: molding and metal casting. Workers are exposed to a wide range of hazardous compounds in the workplace due to the variety of materials and procedures performed in this industry, which can lead to chronic exposure to hazardous substances (physical and chemical). Noise is a major physical hazard in the foundry process, and its health effects are exacerbated by a number of other risk factors.The purpose of this systematic review is to discover the effects of occupational noise by conducting a literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar using appropriate keywords on the combined effects of occupational noise and health effects in foundry workplaces. 2105 articles were screened that were published Up to June 2021, and 85 articles were found to be relevant and of sufficient quality for analysis.Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most well-studied and recognised health impact connected with noise exposure. Other health impacts linked to noise exposure include digestive and behavioral problems, sleep difficulties, changes in serum cortisol levels, cardiovascular disease, and an increase in workplace accidents and injuries. The majority of studies have only looked at the combined effects of risk factors on hearing, and the evidence for non-auditory effects is still limited, so more research is needed. As a result, in Hearing Conservation Programs, aggravating factors of noise effects should be considered in addition to noise.

Abstract

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