The Impact of Exposure to Noise Pollution on the Accidents of Crystal and Glass-Making Plants Using GIS

Noise pollution is one of the most harmful factors as well as one of the most comprehensive threatening physical factors of worker’s health in the workplace. Crystal manufacturing industry is one of industries in which workers are generally exposed to hazardous noise due to the presence of machines like furnaces and forming. The noise in the industry caused mental effects and consequently increased the risk of accidents. Such accidents increased costs and decreased productivity. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the effect of exposure to noise pollution and its effects on accidents in crystal manufacturing industry using GIS software. The study aimed to examine the distribution of noise pollution and accidents occurred in the work units of a crystal factory during 2012, 2013, and 2014 and the relationship between them using GIS software.

To perform this study, first, the sound pressure level was measured in work units during three consecutive years, then, the accidents during the same three years were extracted by separated processes, the plans of noise pollution distribution and accidents during three years were provided using GIS software, and finally, the relationship between noise pollution and accidents was identified.

The results indicated that the forming unit with an average sound pressure level 106.25, 101.9, 97.78 dB(A) and with 16, 12 and 6 accidents dedicated the most noise pollution and accidents over three years and the total number of accidents within three years were 71, 43 and 18, respectively.

There was a significant relationship between noise pollution and accidents occurred in this industry during 2012 and 2013.