Audiometric findings in petrochemical workers exposed to noise and chemical agents.

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the occurrence of hearing loss among workers of a petrochemical industry during a period of five years. The records of environmental noise and solvents measurements and the results of annual audiometry performed by the company were examined. The audiometric results of workers from olefin operational areas 1 and 2 and aromatic plant areas exposed to solvents and noise and utility area workers exposed only to noise were analyzed for the standard threshold shift (STS). Despite the low exposures to solvents and a moderate exposure to noise, 45.3% of workers had hearing losses and 29.6% had STS.