Journal of Health and Safety at Work

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Introduction: Using diesel generators is necessary for activities like welding in construction sites and it is often accompanied with noise pollution. The aim of this study was to evaluate noise pollution induced by diesel generators in construction activities in one of the districts of Tehran city.
 

Material and Method: In this descriptive study, 14 construction sites were selected for the evaluation of noise pollution in Tehran, district 4. Background and diesel generators sound pressure level were measured in accordance with BS 5228(2015) and noise guidance in the area around the construction sites. Diesel generators sound pressure level at 4 points and also the audio frequency analysis, one meter away from the device was measured at a random locations around it. TES-1358, Type 2(Taiwan) sound level meter was used to measure sound pressure level and calibration was performed before and after noise measurement. The validated Noise annoyance questionnaire adopted from ISO15666 standard, completed by the residents. T test, correlation and analysis of variance was performed to analyze data using SPSS software ver. 22.
 

Result: The mean equivalent sound level of diesel generators background noise were respectively 76 ± 4.05 dB(A) and 46.2 ± 1.09 dB(A) around the construction sites. Diesel generators noise around the construction sites was higher than the noise limit (background noise plus 5 dB)(P Value <0.05). The highest (95.3 ± 0.33 dBA) and lowest (90.9 ± 0.63 dBA) average sound pressure level was related to Benz355 and Perkins generators. One-way ANOVA statistical analysis showed significant differences in the average sound pressure level of various diesel generators between the devices (P Value <0.05). The mean sound pressure level among 190 sound monitoring stations in the interior parts of the construction sites were about 81.11 ± 4.6 dB(A). The experienced noise annoyance was evaluated higher than the average by 73.4 percent of residents. Residents’ noise annoyance and noise level around construction sites were significant using Pearson correlation (R=0.486, P value <0.05). Dominant noise frequency and associated sound pressure level of diesel generators were measured 63 Hz and 84.4 dBA, respectively.
 

Conclusion: Diesel generators noise in the area around the construction sites was higher than the environmental noise limit and it was accompanied with abundant noise annoyance for residents around these construction sites. Therefore, due to the lack of environmental rules related to construction industry noise pollution in Iran, assessment and approving of such rules is essential to reduce noise annoyance in urban areas.

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Introduction: Stressfull innate of the operating room, unpredictable types of activities, and prolonged standing during surgeries cause chronic fatigue in surgical technologists, resulting in reduced quality of care. It is essential, therefore, to provide especialized methods to reduce the surgical technologists’ fatigue severity.. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of concomitant exercise and inhalation of lavender fragrance on surgical technologists’ fatigue severity.
Material and Methods: Ninety seven surgical technologists were recruited  in this clinical trial study, working in the operating rooms of Tabriz educational hospitals. They were randomly divided into three groups (Exercise, Lavender & Control) after fulfilling informed consent ,. The instruments for data collection included demographic information form as well as a multidimensional fatigue inventory questionnaire. In the experimental groups, concomitant exercise training and Lavender inhalation were both used for a period of six weeks while no intervention was given to participants in the control group. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS 20 as  well as  ANOVA and repeated measurement tests.
Results: No significant difference was observed between Exercise, Lavender, and Control groups regarding demographic characteristics (P>0.05). The mean score of fatigue between exercise and control groups and between Lavender and control groups showed a significant decrease (P<0.05). However, the results showed no significant difference statistically between the exercise and Lavender groups (P>0.05).
Conclusion: The concomitant exercise and Lavender fragrance in the operating room positively affect and reduce the fatigue severity in surgical technologists. Planning to implement similar interventions in the operating room is recommended.