Evaluation of noise pollution in the city of Qom and compare it with standard Sound Country

Introduction and purpose: Noise pollution is an important health problem in most industries, especially in the small inland industries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the noise pollution in turning and polishing shops in Qom, Iran, and compare it with the sound standards in the country. In the present descriptive cross-sectional study, noise assessment was performed using the local measurements to evaluate occupational exposure with a dosimeter (CEL 320, Casella CEL, Inc., New York) in 20 turning shops and 20 polishing shops. Then, the equivalent sound balance was calculated for a work shift and compared with the sound standards In Iran. The results showed that the average equivalent sound levels in turning and polishing shops were 93.1 and 100.4 dB, which were unauthorized in comparison with the national sound standards. Furthermore, the noise pollution outside the shops was reported beyond the standards of the relevant region. It should be noted that regarding the evaluation of hearing sensitivity, 86.1% of the workers did not have a hearing test. In addition, sanitary inspections were not carried out in 83% of the shops. However, 64% of the shops were not upgraded and the participation rate of the shop owners was 53% in the improvement measures. According to noise pollution in turning and polishing shops and the effects on workers and the public, noise control methods are proposed, such as the provision of personal protective equipment, reduction of labor time, correct choice of machines, and installation of noise-reduction tools. With respect to noise pollution, the correct locating of shops and organizing noisy industries were proposed.