Evaluación de la exposición al ruido industrial en los trabajadores de una planta de asfalto, en la provincia del Azuay y propuesta de plan de control

Abstract

This work was carried out in an Asphalt Concrete Plant, where we examined noise, considered a risk factor, under the following perspectives: Occupational Health, and Industrial Safety and Hygiene. This holistic approach defines the influence that this labor risk exerts on the loss of auditory acuity. Initially, the present work establishes the current theoretical and legal framework on noise; secondly, it describes the methodology of the analysis, operationalization of variables, and defines the sample to be studied. Then, we proceed to typify the population, the studied area and productive activities. In the framework of the Industrial Hygiene, we monitored the exposure of the sound pressure level and compared the results to the permissible level (TWA 8 hours) embedded in the "Safety and Health Regulation for Workers and Improving the Working Environment (Executive Decree 2393). In terms of Industrial Safety, we explored the current personal protective equipment PPE, and the determining variables. In the field of Occupational Health, we scrutinized personal characteristics of workers, diseases related to deafness, and conducted a survey on noise exposure. Finally, the present work reached a conclusion that in the examined company, there the employees are exposed to noise at work. By examining the state of hearing health of employees, the high incidence of healthy staff was determined and, lastly, the work defined control measures, while emphasizing the results concluded in this study, such as changes in equipment and machinery, good work practices, training and capacity-raising plans for employees.