Signal recognition and hearing protectors with normal and impaired hearing.

Recognition of acoustic signals when perception is subject to interference from noise has already been extensively studied. In this study the influence of hearing protectors (HP) (plugs, muffs) and hearing loss on signal recognition is examined. Different spectrums and levels of the noise are also included. The test results are shown as the masked threshold for the signals heard and identified. In the case of normally hearing subjects a frequency-independent HP (plug) improves hearing performance, while frequency-dependent HP (muffs) tends to worsen it, especially with low-frequency noise. Hearing losses even worsen hearing performance when plugs are worn. Design suggestions are made to optimise signal recognition. Minimum signal-to-noise ratio and the use of HP are discussed.     

Most Comfortable Listening Level and Speech Attenuation by Hearing Protectors

Hearing protectors attenuate both the background noise and the useful sounds embedded in noise such as the sounds of speech and warning signals. An effective hearing protector is one that attenuates background noise while leaving sufficient energy of speech and warning signals to reach the ear of the worker. At present, however, there are no established criteria for assessing effective change in speech-to-noise ratio caused by hearing protection devices (HPDs). One such criterion could be a change in most comfortable (listening) level (MCL) for speech caused by the presence of HPDs. In this study the HPD-related shift in MCL for speech presented in quiet was measured and compared with two measures of noise attenuation: Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) and high–medium–low (H–M–L). The results indicate that the MCL shift may be a sensitive measure of speech attenuation by HPDs, which together with the appropriate H–M–L may describe technical properties of HPDs.     

Hearing Protectors: Topicality and Research Needs

Occupational noise specialists do not generally recommend hearing protection devices (HPDs) as a preferred solution to noise risk prevention. Nevertheless, these devices are widely used and are in fact often necessary. Selection of an HPD should take into account comfort and the capacity for perceiving external signals, when they are worn. Current European regulations require that HPD attenuation be considered, when comparing noise exposure to limit values. However, HPD attenuation is effectively unknown under real-world conditions. Some methods are designed to give approximate attenuation values and these provide results within a wide statistical range. Field measurement methods and current standards have been developed to deal with this situation. The specific characteristic of impulse noise requires establishment of dedicated criteria and tools for HPD selection and testing. This paper introduces a number of avenues for research, which could be of assistance in improving HPD selection, qualification and design.     

农业作业者的听力防护

农业领域作业者的听力防护问题极少被关注,以农机噪声、养殖场噪声及其对作业者伤害调查数据看,农业噪声对作业者的危害不容忽视,给予作业特点和需求,需要选择合适的听力保护装备,并建立听力保护计划,保护在噪声环境中工作的农业作业者。     

单兵用主动式听力保护技术研究现状分析

战场噪声是造成单兵听力损伤的重要原因,通常要求单兵处于大于85dBA的噪声环境中需佩戴听力保护装置。听力保护装置通常包括耳罩式和耳塞式。新型单兵用耳塞式听力保护装置具有听力保护、环境声音的监听、持续及脉冲噪声抑制、通信接入等多种功能。     

Health impact and noise exposure assessment in the cricket bat industry of Kashmir,India

Aim. The aim of the present study was to identify and evaluate predominant noise sources in the cricket bat industry of Kashmir, India. Methods. Sound levels were measured at operator’s ear level in the working zone of the workers of seven cricket bat factories. The impact assessment was made through personal interviews with each worker separately during their period of rest. Results. On average, 62.5% of the workers reported difficulty in hearing and 24.1% of the workers have become patients for hypertension. Only 58.1% of the workers complained of headache due to high noise level. Conclusions. The workers engaged in the cricket bat industry of Kashmir are exposed to high noise levels. It is suggested that personal protective equipment like ear plugs and ear muffs be used by these workers as a protection against this hazard.     

护听器声衰减值的3种测试方法

关于护听器声衰减能力的评价,目前有好几种方法都有大量文献充分地论证。本文介绍了3种标准化的评价方法：真耳听阈衰减法（Real～ear attenuation at threshold,PEAT）,真耳内置麦克风（Microphone in real ear,MIRE）,和声学仿真测量装置（Acoustical test fixture,ATF）方法。讨论了评价护听器声衰减能力,这3种方法各自的优缺点和适用范围。REAT方法是评价护听器声衰减值最准确的方法之一,目前被国际标准普遍采用。     

听力防护装备为健康筑起安全防线

随着我国工业的发展,噪声危害的分布范围越来越广,人们接触噪声的机会日益增多。长期接触噪声会对人体多个系统产生不良影响,其中尤以对听觉器官的损害最为突出。本文针对噪声的概念及噪声作业听力防护,分析了噪声对人体健康的影响因素及其主要损害,阐述了预防和控制噪声的个体防护装备,提出了噪声性听力损伤的自身防护早发现早防治措施。     

Determining Attenuation of Impulse Noise With an Electrical Equivalent of a Hearing Protection Device

Determining the effectiveness of impulse noise attenuation with hearing protection devices (HPDs) is an important part of their selection. Measuring impulse noise parameters under an HPD would involve exposing subjects to impulses with a high peak sound pressure level. This paper presents a computational method of determining impulse noise parameters under the cups of earmuffs. Calculations are done using the transfer function of earmuffs, determined with Shaw’s electrical equivalent of an HPD, taking into account the design parameters of earmuffs. The developed method was used for calculations in the presence of impulse noise generated by gunshots. To verify the computational method, the results of these calculations were compared with the results of measurements.     

20种护耳器噪声防护效果的探讨

探讨了国内外２０种护耳器对石油钻井噪声的防护效果。首先在隔声室内模拟石油钻井工人接触的噪声环境，声级达１０３ｄＢ（Ａ）。采用护耳器主观测量方法对每种护耳器进行噪声防护效果测量，并筛选出噪声防护效果明显的几种护耳器。     

The Effects of Hearing Protectors on Auditory Localization: Evidence From Audio-Visual Target Acquisitioi

Response times (RT) in an audio-visual target acquisition task were collected from 3 participants while wearing either circumaural earmuffs, foam earplugs, or no hearing protection. Analyses revealed that participants took significantly longer to locate and identify an audio-visual target in both hearing protector conditions than they did in the unoccluded condition, suggesting a disturbance of the cues used by listeners to localize sounds in space. RTs were significantly faster in both hearing protector conditions than in a non-audio control condition, indicating that auditory localization was not completely disrupted. Results are discussed in terms of safety issues involved with wearing hearing protectors in an occupational environment.     

护听器的特点、选用及其管理

护听器是一种保护听觉、使人免受噪声过度刺激的个体防护装备.为了预防在高噪声环境中的疲劳、听力损失或因此而可能导致的误操作和生产安全事故,工业企业噪声作业场所相关从业人员应配备适宜的护听器.全面了解护听器类个人防护用品的特点、正确掌握选用护听器类产品的原则和方法以及建立行之有效的管理体系是践行我国安全生产法、职业病防治法的重要环节.本文在简要分析护听器类产品的分类和特点的基础上,详细介绍了护听器的选择原则及如何选用护听器产品;最后讨论了护听器管理及人员培训的重要性.     

我国纺织噪声暴露现状及听力损失情况预测

通过对国内纺织业从业人员数量、工龄的统计和企业实地噪声情况的调查,借鉴ISO1999—1975（E）和其它相关方法预测我国纺织行业噪声暴露情况和从业人员的听力损失情况。经过预测,结果显示纺织从业人员暴露于85dB以下噪声的约有289．3万人,85～95dB约有381．2万人,高于95dB约有329．5万人;对于听力损失的预测,采用悲观和乐观法分别进行预测,结果表明约有100．57万人和21．61万人患有听力损失;结合实际调研情况对预测数据进行修正,结果表明目前我国纺织行业约有70．96万人患有听力损失。     

护耳器使用现状评述

研究表明：护耳器现场使用实际声衰减值低于实验室值,其原因是护耳器的实验室测量条件较为严格。工人在现场实际使用护耳器时,未能同实验室中的受试者一样佩戴护耳器,因而获得的护耳器声衰减比实验室所测得的值低。另一方面,在８小时强噪声环境中工作期间,未自始至终佩戴护耳器,则也达不到预期的保护听力的效果。笔者还综合分析和评述了护耳器现场使用时实际声衰减值降低的原因,并提出了一些有益的建议     

某飞机维修公司个人听力防护用品使用情况调查分析

为了解听力防护用品使用过程中的问题,提高我国噪声暴露工人听力防护用品的使用率和有效率,选择噪声危害较大的某飞机维修公司的员工,进行听力防护用品使用情况的问卷调查。结果显示:该公司为员工提供耳塞和耳罩两种听力防护用品;员工的听力保护意识、使用情况较好,使用率达95%,但对听力防护用品相关知识的了解不够全面;能够在工作中一直坚持使用的工人较少,仅占11%,影响工人工作时间使用听力防护用品时间长短的因素主要是其舒适性。调查分析提示:在未来听力防护用品的生产过程中,需要进一步加强和改善舒适性的技术;政府、企业和个人3方面共同参与,降低职业性噪声暴露对工人听力的损伤。     

基于ICEEMDAN和MC-CNN的矿山声发射信号识别分类方法

为精准识别地下矿山声发射事件,采用基于改进的完全集合经验模态分解模型(ICEEMDAN)和多通道卷积神经网络(MC-CNN)模型对声发射信号进行处理后得到分量图,根据各通道输入分量峭度值赋予不同权重,并利用卷积神经网络对输入数据进行训练,最终采用五折交叉实验方法验证该分类识别方法的可行性及有效性.结果表明:基于ICEE...     

Application of Prevention through Design for hearing loss in the mining industry

INTRODUCTION: Overexposure to noise remains a widespread and serious health hazard in the U.S. service providing and goods producing industries. Excessive noise can lead to poor verbal communication and reduce the ability to recognize warning signals. These dangerous work conditions can also cause stress and fatigue. Occupational hearing loss is a permanent illness, with no recovery currently possible. METHOD: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recognized Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) as one of the ten leading work-related diseases and injuries in the United States, and has emphasized its importance as one of the critical areas expressed in the National Occupational Research Agenda. RESULTS: One of the most serious noise problems in the goods producing industries is the operation of continuous mining machines during underground coal mining. In order to minimize occupational hearing loss, noise hazards are "designed out" early in the design process. NIOSH is leading a national initiative called Prevention through Design (PTD) to promote this concept. This paper describes the quiet-by-design approach of a noise control that reduced noise exposures of continuous mining machine operators by 3dB(A) using the four functional areas of PTD, namely Practice, Policy, Research, and Education.     

Self-assessment of hearing status and risk of noise-induced hearing loss in workers in a rolling stock plant

Noise measurements and questionnaire inquiries were carried out for 124 workers of a rolling stock plant to develop a hearing conservation program. On the basis of that data, the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) was evaluated. Additionally, the workers' hearing ability was assessed with the (modified) Amsterdam inventory for auditory disability and handicap, (m)AIADH. The workers had been exposed to noise at A-weighted daily noise exposure levels of 74-110 dB for 1-40 years. Almost one third of the workers complained of hearing impairment and the (m)AIADH results showed some hearing difficulties in over half of them. The estimated risk of hearing loss over 25 dB in the frequency range of 3-6 kHz was 41-50% when the standard method of predicting NIHL specified in Standard No. ISO 1999:1990 was used. This risk increased to 50-67% when noise impulsiveness, coexposure to organic solvents, elevated blood pressure and smoking were included in calculations.     

A dual-sensor-based method to recognize pipeline leakage and interference signals

During the detection of pipeline leakages, false alarms of leak detection could be markedly reduced if the interference signals resulting from pressure regulating, pump regulating or valve movements could be accurately distinguished. A digital recognition method for interference signals and leakage signals based on a dual-sensor system is proposed in this paper. It is demonstrated that the direction of the signal can be recognized by a cross-correlation calculation between two signals from the dual-sensor, one of which undergoes forward linear interpolation and backward linear interpolation. Based on this theory, the interference signal and the leak signal can be discriminated exactly, and the distance between the two sensors in the dual-sensor system can be considerably reduced without needing to increase the sampling frequency. The monotonicity of the cross-correlation function is demonstrated, and a fast discrimination algorithm based on a binary extreme search method, which decreases the computational load and maintains global optimization, is also proposed. A pre-processing method of the actual signal is proposed to decrease the identity requirement for the two sensors in a dual-sensor system. In the experiment based on artificial signals, the proposed discrimination algorithm could achieve accurate recognition of the abnormal signal, and as such, the theory and application of pipeline leak detection based on dual-sensor systems are extended.