Students' Corner Frequency of hearing loss among textile industry workers of weaving unit in Karachi, Pakistan

Objective: To determine the frequency of hearing loss among textile industry workers of weaving department. To record the noise level in the weaving sections and to compare it with the international standards. To determine the awareness about the effects of noise on hearing amongst the workers and the protective measures adopted by them. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at weaving department of five renowned textile industries of Karachi. The study included 248 workers exposed to noise, through non-probability convenient sampling technique. Equivalent sound pressure level Leq was measured with the help of a Class-1 type digital sound level meter. Hearing status of the workers was assessed through questionnaire and clinical tests (WHISPER, RINNE'S and WEBER). Result: Results showed that noise level was in range of 88.4-104 dB(A). The questionnaire results showed that: (i) 92.7% of the workers were aware that high noise level cause speech interference. (ii) 57.2% were unaware about the effect of noise on health. (iii) 54.8% used ear protection devices. (iv) 22.5% did not respond well to whisper test while 16.9% were found to have defective hearing on the basis of Rinne's test and 17.4% through Weber's test. It was observed that hearing loss was significantly associated with working experience of more than 10 years (25%) and overtime (28.8%). Conclusion: The results of study establish the fact that noise level is more than acceptable limit of 85 dB(A) for 8 hours exposure stipulated by OSHA .There is an immediate need to develop and implement noise regulations in Pakistan (JPMA 59:575; 2009).