Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
MINING METALLURGY & EXPLORATION, cilt.39, sa.3, ss.1045-1060, 2022 (SCI-Expanded)
Hearing loss is an occupational disease that occurs due to the noise in working environments. In this study, noise-induced hearing loss among 399 miners working in underground coal mines in Turkey between 2010 and 2019 was evaluated according to the miners' occupation, age groups, and coal mine exposure time. The relationship between noise-induced hearing loss with occupational groups, age, and duration of exposure was revealed by logistic regression (binary logistic) analysis. In this model, it was observed that the occupational groups of the miners and their duration of exposure to noise significantly affected hearing loss. Old and unrequired mining machines have higher noise levels, and miners using such machines are at higher risk of noise-induced hearing loss. According to the results of this study, it is possible to say that the risk of having hearing loss is higher for those working in the production groups. In addition, those who have been exposed to noise for 10-14 years are 3.5 times more likely to have hearing loss when compared to those who were exposed to noise for 15 years or more. Accordingly, it can be said that, those working in very noisy environments may possibly experience hearing loss after 10-14 years. When examined by age, it was seen that the age factor did not increase the probability of hearing loss.