Resumen

MORENO RAJADEL, René Esteban; MARTINEZ DIAZ, Anay  y  RIVERO PEREZ, Diamelys. Hearing screening in workers exposed to industrial noise. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2006, vol.22, n.3. ISSN 0864-2125.

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was undertaken at the "Escambray" Dairies Enterprise of Cumanayagua, Cienfuegos, from June to December, 2005, aimed at determining the levels of noise and at evaluating the auditory function among 82 workers exposed to a noise intensity equal to or over 85 dB-A .The variables selected for the study were: noise intensity, years of exposure, type of noise, previous information on the use of protection means and their way of obtention, as well as the causes not to use them. Of the 24 studied areas, 15 (62.5 %) had noise levels equal to or higher than 85 dB-A. The previous information on the use of means of protection was scarce, since 96.3 % of the workers did not use them, 62.2 % had been exposed to noise for more than 10 years, and 24 workers showed hearing loss; 5 of them (20.8 %) without response to intensities of 25 dB; 12 (50.0 %) to intensities of 40 dB; and 7 (29.2 %) did not respond to sound stimuli of 60 dB. To conclude, it was considered that the sound contamination inherent to the studied entity is elevated, that the measured levels did not fulfill either the recommendations existing at the world level, or the higienic industrial criteria, and that they act detrimentally on hearing. Therefore, we recommend the implementation of measures to protect the personnel and to attenuate the high indexes of contaminating acoustic emissions.

Palabras clave : Industrial noise; noise-induced hypoacusia; means of auditory protection from noise; auditory screening.