紡織業勞工聽力損失評估研究

Assessment of Hearing Loss among Workers in the Textile Manufacturing Industry

隨著勞工安全衛生認識之提昇，工作場所噪音問題日漸受到重視。根據民國八十八年一月到十二月之噪音作業勞工聽力值監視系統年報調查發現，噪音作業勞工聽力檢查資料中有 28.3%的勞工聽力損失介於 30 至 40 分貝，甚至有 15.8%的勞工聽力損失達到 45 分貝以上。本研究收集國內 6 家紡織廠勞工 2068 人聽力檢查資料，以了解其聽力損失概況。研究結果發現在高頻率（4kHz、6kHz）有較嚴重的聽力損失。4kHz 較差耳有 26.4%聽力損失達 40 分貝以上，而 6kHz 較差耳更達 35.7%。且聽力損失受年齡、性別、年資影響。年齡越大聽力損失越嚴重，年齡大於 40 歲者有 55%以上的人，4kHz、 6kHz 較差耳聽力損失超過 40 分貝。男性聽力損失大於女性。年資越久聽力損失越高，年資大於等於 10 年的人 53.4%聽力損失平均值大於 40 分貝，高頻聽力損失平均值高達 41.9 分貝。而且在健康管理級別第一級管理中有大部分高頻聽力損失超過 40 分貝，顯示過去的分級制度似乎不適用於噪音作業勞工。由研究結果可知，我國紡織業為噪音作業中較嚴重的行業之一。對於勞工聽力損失嚴重之紡織廠，除了實施「勞工聽力保護計畫」加以改善外；對於健康管理級別的區分標準有必要重新訂定適用之分級標準，以符合勞工實際聽力損失情形，避免低估勞工聽力損失之嚴重性，而忽略本身之健康狀態。

With increasing awareness of occupational safety and health, noise problems in the work place started to attract well-deserved attentions. This research collected hearing examination data of 2,068 workers from 6 domestic textile manufacturing plants. According to the annual report on hearing loss of workers in noisy operations published by the National Quarantine Service from Jan,1999 to Dec,1999, 28.3% of the workers experienced hearing loss between 30 to 40 decibels and 15.8%had hearing loss at or above 45 decibels. However, in this study, 26.4% and 35.7% workers had hearing loss at 40 decibels or above, respectively at 4kHz and 6kHz, illustrating the seriousness of the hearing loss problems in this industry. Furthermore, the hearing loss problems were correlated with age, gender and seniority. And older workers suffered higher hearing loss. Over 55% of the workers with worse ear exceeding 40 decibels at 4kHz and 6kHz were 40 years old or above, and male workers’ conditions were more serious than females. Similarly, seniority also leads to increased loss of hearing. Workers working in this industry for 10 years or more had the average hearing loss above 40 decibels. Their hearing loss at high frequency even reached 41.9 decibels. However, it was found in this study that many workers with hearing loss exceeding 40 decibels were classified as the first category of occupational health management according to labor protection regulations. This clearly demonstrates that these classification standards are inapplicable to such workers. According to this study , the textile industry has more serious noise problems compared to other industries. To improve working environment is not just implementing the hearing conservation programs but also to set up new classification standards for occupational health management. It is believed that this will reflect the seriousness of hearing loss problems more precisely.