Material 1. Annals of Occupational Hygiene publishes material that significantly extends knowledg... more Material 1. Annals of Occupational Hygiene publishes material that significantly extends knowledge on any aspect of occupational health and hygiene. Further details are given in the Aims and Scope, near the start of each issue. The usual categories are Papers, Meeting Reports, and Letters to the Editor. Review Articles are normally specially commissioned, and authors should not submit a review without prior consultation with the Editor-in-Chief or North American Editor. Meeting Reports must convey scientific information of interest to the readership. Letters to the Editor may deal with any topic of interest to the readership, but are usually comments on items already published. Books and software may be submitted for independent review at the editor's discretion. Editorial policy 2. Quality. Papers and Review Articles (and sometimes other categories) are normally sent to two referees (reviewers), selected for expertise and having regard to the international nature of the journal. Authors are invited to suggest the names and addresses of up to three independent referees when they submit a paper, but these referees will not necessarily be used. After considering referees' comments, the editor will inform the author whether or not the paper is acceptable, and what modifications, if any, are necessary. Referees' anonymised comments will be transmitted to the author with the editor's decision. That decision is final.
The research explored the concept of a ‘good employer’ pertaining to employment relations and occ... more The research explored the concept of a ‘good employer’ pertaining to employment relations and occupational health and safety (OHS) in small enterprises (SE’s). How perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of a ‘good employer’ were implemented in practice, were surveyed in a sample of SE’s using a framework developed from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) socially Decent Work Index (DWI). The study retained the DWI’s key dimensions: employment security, voice security, income security, skill reproduction security, and work security. However, measures of the key dimensions were broadened to capture the predominantly individualistic nature of employment relations in SE’s. The employers’ perceptions generally corresponded with the two dimensions of the ‘good employer’ prioritized by the ILO: employee voice and income security. In practice, there were instances of employees having input beyond operational matters. Nevertheless employers unilaterally determined pay and other terms and...
In New Zealand in the 1990s, labour market decentralization and new employment legislation precip... more In New Zealand in the 1990s, labour market decentralization and new employment legislation precipitated a sharp decline in unionism and collective bargaining coverage; trends that continued well into the 2000s even after the introduction of the more supportive Employment Relations Act 2000 (ERA). The ERA prescribed new bargaining rules, which included a good faith obligation, increased union rights and promoted collective bargaining as the key to building productive employment relationships (Anderson, 2004; May and Walsh, 2002). In this respect the ERA provided scope for increased collective bargaining and union renewal (Harbridge and Thickett, 2003; May, 2003a and 2003b; May and Walsh, 2002). Despite these predictions and the ERA's overall intent, the decline in collective bargaining coverage begun in the 1990s has continued unabated in the private sector. It has naturally been questioned why the ERA has not reversed, or at least halted, this downward trend. So far research has...
Twelve New Zealand workers from a range of occupations were studied to investigate the effect of ... more Twelve New Zealand workers from a range of occupations were studied to investigate the effect of wearing air-filtering respiratory protection on heart rate (HR) and facial skin temperature (T lip and T cheek) whilst working. All variables were measured continuously during simulated and actual work. The former allowed physiological measurements to be undertaken during the physical activities carried out during the work task without respirators and without exposure to hazardous airborne substances. Mean heart rates in subjects moving without respirators ranged from 75 to 94 beats/min and from 77 to 98 beats/min during respirator use at work. Mean skin temperature under the mask (T lip) increased in 11 of the 12 subjects while using respirators (range 1.2-4.8°°°°C) but T cheek only increased in four (range 0.6-1.5°°°°C). The use of simulated work tasks in the experiment was a compromise. The heart rate data from the real and simulated work indicated that effort and workload, though not identical, were similar. The increase in skin temperature under the mask may account for the reluctance of individuals to wear respiratory protection at work. This region of the face is very thermosensitive.
Background The impact and costs associated with work-related sprains and strains in New Zealand a... more Background The impact and costs associated with work-related sprains and strains in New Zealand and globally are substantial and a major occupational and public health burden. In New Zealand around one-third of all sprains and strains workers compensation (ACC) claims (2019) are for back injuries, but shoulder and arm injuries are increasing at a faster rate than other sprain and strain injuries (ACC, 2020). A need exists for a change to current approaches to sprains and strains prevention, to more effectively manage this significant and persistent problem in workplaces. Designing out hazards is one of the most effective means of preventing occupational injuries and illnesses. This paper outlines the study protocol of the surveillance, management and prevention programme and describes the utilisation of prevention through design principles in the prevention of work-related sprains and strains in agriculture/horticulture/food production in the Hawkes Bay region of New Zealand. Method...
There is little published data on noise sources related to occupational exposures, particularly i... more There is little published data on noise sources related to occupational exposures, particularly in relation to small enterprises (SE's). Most published sound level surveys focus more on exposures and controls and provide little detailed evaluation of noise sources and transmission paths. This paper describes a multiple case study designed to identify, describe and evaluate noise exposures, sources, paths and control strategies used by 30 SE's (employee count less than 20) in "high", "moderate" and "low" risk industry sectors in New Zealand. Data collection involved workplace observations, noise assessments, semi-structured interviews, self-administered questionnaires, and reference to archival data. In addition to sound level measurements in work areas and personal dosimetry, assessments of each SE's conformance to current noise management standards were undertaken. Area and personal sound level exposures were found to vary considerably within the "high risk" (agriculture, manufacturing and construction; range 80-90 dB L Aeq,8h), "moderate risk" (cafes and restaurants; range 60-75 dB L Aeq,8h) and "low risk" sectors (preschools; range 70-80 dB L Aeq,8h). Generally noise sources and paths could be readily identified in the workplaces. The predominant noise control strategy in 90% of the industry sectors was minimisation, specifically the use of personal hearing protection. In most cases, noise management strategies aimed at the noise source and noise paths could have been investigated further by the management of the small business. The findings suggest that there needs to be significant changes in expectations with respect to noise management practices and solutions for small enterprises in particular. In addition, national strategies on the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) need to be designed from a small business perspective and where noise management interventions are seen as a benefit to the enterprise rather than a cost.
Many small businesses have hazardous work environments and exposures to significant occupational ... more Many small businesses have hazardous work environments and exposures to significant occupational health and safety risks. Differences in understanding of risks by employers and employees are one of the factors leading to the hazardous work environment and risk exposures in small businesses. Employees generally describe “the tools of the trade” as the sources of risks of accidents and injuries, whereas employers generally identify “bad employees” or “bad luck” as the cause of accidents. It seems that employer and employees having the same or a shared understanding of occupational health and safety problems, their causal relations and the course of action is essential to remedy the work environment problems in the workplace. This paper describes a study that explores owner/managers’ and employees’ understandings of occupational health and safety risks in small business workplaces within the framework of the Local Theory of Work Environment. A case study of an independently operated re...
ABSTRACT Technological and legislative safety solutions will only succeed if the social systems, ... more ABSTRACT Technological and legislative safety solutions will only succeed if the social systems, attitudes and behaviours at work support them. Safety climate is one of the factors related to effective hazard management, including management of noise. Data on levels of noise, risk factors and compliance with the relevant Code of Practice were collected from 20 New Zealand small and medium workplaces with employee counts ranging from 2-48. One hundred and sixty-three (163) respondents from these workplaces also provided data on self-reported hearing protection use, safety climate and attitudes to controlling noise at work. Levels of compliance with New Zealand Approved Code of Practice requirements were low, even in workplaces with high levels of noise. Use of hearing protection devices (HPD) was highest in construction and manufacturing but no respondents in hospitality (cafes) or education (early childhood education) reported using hearing protection despite some high levels of noise.
This paper presents a conceptual model for increasing acceptable working environments for SMEs. I... more This paper presents a conceptual model for increasing acceptable working environments for SMEs. It also acts as an editorial for the special issue of Safety Science on 'Managing safety in small and medium enterprises (SMEs)'. It describes how seven of the ten papers in the special issue originate from an international conference in 2013 on Understanding Small Enterprises. It includes a commentary on the papers in the special issue as well as directing the reader to all of the current state-of-the-science sources known to the authors. The paper provides a background to previous research on safety in SMEs, showing how most current policy and legislation on occupational health and safety (OSH) and the work environment is based on large enterprises and that there is a relative paucity of research on OSH in SMEs. In a summary of current knowledge, it is argued that modern OHS legislation and interventions to help improve work environments need to increasingly take account of the specific characteristics of SMEs. The conceptual model for increasing acceptable working environments for SMEs takes its onset in a legislative standard that is built into intervention programmes and includes three instrument pillars: inspection to enhance compliance, recognition of the standard by the stakeholders in the industry sector and dissemination of information to small enterprises.
Strategy Three: Multifactorial approach Key finding 3: Interventions which combine multiple strat... more Strategy Three: Multifactorial approach Key finding 3: Interventions which combine multiple strategies are effective in NIHL prevention. Key barriers to this strategy • Requires a great deal of effort to encourage employers and employees to fulfil their statutory requirements • Long term persistence of changes uncertain Key enablers to this strategy • Leaders who actively and enthusiastically encourage intervention practices • Long intervention associated with improvement, but still unknown if this was sustained Strategy Four: Implement engineering Key finding 4: Engineering controls reduce noise exposure but little is known about the logistics and economics of their implementation.
This study examines the prevalence of a range of occupational risk factors reported by a random s... more This study examines the prevalence of a range of occupational risk factors reported by a random sample of the New Zealand working population. Methods: Men and women aged 20-64 were selected from the New Zealand Electoral Roll and invited to take part in a telephone interview, which collected information on lifetime work history, current workplace exposures and organizational factors, and various health conditions. The prevalences of occupational risk factors in each occupational and industry group are reported. Results: Three thousand and three interviews were completed (37% of the eligible sample and 55% of those that could be contacted). Trades workers reported the highest prevalences of exposure to dust (75%) and oils and solvents (59%). Agriculture and fishery workers reported the highest prevalences of exposure to pesticides (63%) and acids or alkalis (25%). Plant and machine operators and assemblers reported the highest prevalences of exposure to smoke/fume/gas (43%), working night shift in the previous 4 weeks (18%), and working irregular hours (33%). In the high exposure occupational and industry groups, males reported a higher prevalence of exposure than females. Lifting, exposure to loud noise, and the use of personal protective equipment were reported by >50% of the manual occupational groups. Conclusions: This study indicates that occupational exposure to risk factors for workrelated disease and injury remains common in the New Zealand working population. While these occupational exposures are disproportionately experienced by workers in certain industries, they also occur in occupational groups not traditionally associated with hazardous exposures or occupational disease.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sep 1, 2011
Objectives The epidemiology of NIHL in New Zealand is poorly understood and more information is n... more Objectives The epidemiology of NIHL in New Zealand is poorly understood and more information is needed to identify effective strategies to prevent hearing loss. The objective was to review the current epidemiology of NIHL in New Zealand and examine noise sources, exposures and the effectiveness of existing noise control strategies in small to medium sized enterprises. Methods Modelling was undertaken to predict rates of noise exposure and thus of the prevalence of noise induced hearing loss in different occupations and economic sectors in New Zealand industry. A case study design was utilised to identify, describe and evaluate noise sources, exposures and control strategies used by "high", "moderate" and "low" risk industry sectors in relation to exposure to noise. Results Exposure estimates are presented that question whether the model provides adequate approximations to levels of occupational noise exposure in New Zealand workplaces. Thirty three (33) small business workplaces were assessed, which showed that generally noise sources and paths could be readily identifi ed and that area and personal sound level exposure measurements varied considerably between the high, moderate and low risk industry sectors. The predominant noise control strategy used by small businesses was the use of personal hearing protection. Most enterprises surveyed did not conform to the specifi c requirements of legislative standards for noise management. Conclusions The fi ndings suggest that the regulatory priority given to personal protection and hearing conservation programmes needs to be re-evaluated and that there needs to be signifi cant changes in expectations with respect to policing the requirements of noise legislation.
Effective strategies for the prevention of noise induced hearing loss have occupied researchers, ... more Effective strategies for the prevention of noise induced hearing loss have occupied researchers, OHS practitioners and enforcement agencies for many years. This paper reports on the second part of a major study on the epidemiology and prevention of NIHL in New Zealand. The objective of the project was to evaluate existing work-related interventions to reduce NIHL, to identify critical factors in the development and implementation of such strategies, and to propose strategies/interventions where current interventions are considered ineffective. In addition, the research examined those aspects of workplace culture that affect decision-making around NIHL. A systematic review of the research literature was completed specifically focussing on the effectiveness of interventions in the prevention of NIHL and five key strategies were identified. Data collection methodologies were developed for specific industry sectors which were segregated into high, medium and low sectors of risk of NIHL. In addition to area noise measurements and personal dosimetry, assessments of the organisation's conformance to current noise management standards and safety climate data were undertaken. As anticipated, area and personal noise exposures were found to vary considerably within the "high risk" (agriculture, manufacturing and construction; range: L Aeq 8hr 80 -90 dB), "moderate risk" (cafes and restaurants; range L Aeq 8hr 60 -75 dB) and "low risk" sectors (pre-schools; range L Aeq 8hr 70 -80 dB). Data on enterprise conformance with the Approved Code of Practice for the Management of Noise in the Workplace indicated that most enterprises surveyed did not conform to the specific requirements of the Code in relation to noise management. As a consequence of the research, a comprehensive multi level intervention strategy is proposed.
Material 1. Annals of Occupational Hygiene publishes material that significantly extends knowledg... more Material 1. Annals of Occupational Hygiene publishes material that significantly extends knowledge on any aspect of occupational health and hygiene. Further details are given in the Aims and Scope, near the start of each issue. The usual categories are Papers, Meeting Reports, and Letters to the Editor. Review Articles are normally specially commissioned, and authors should not submit a review without prior consultation with the Editor-in-Chief or North American Editor. Meeting Reports must convey scientific information of interest to the readership. Letters to the Editor may deal with any topic of interest to the readership, but are usually comments on items already published. Books and software may be submitted for independent review at the editor's discretion. Editorial policy 2. Quality. Papers and Review Articles (and sometimes other categories) are normally sent to two referees (reviewers), selected for expertise and having regard to the international nature of the journal. Authors are invited to suggest the names and addresses of up to three independent referees when they submit a paper, but these referees will not necessarily be used. After considering referees' comments, the editor will inform the author whether or not the paper is acceptable, and what modifications, if any, are necessary. Referees' anonymised comments will be transmitted to the author with the editor's decision. That decision is final.
The research explored the concept of a ‘good employer’ pertaining to employment relations and occ... more The research explored the concept of a ‘good employer’ pertaining to employment relations and occupational health and safety (OHS) in small enterprises (SE’s). How perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of a ‘good employer’ were implemented in practice, were surveyed in a sample of SE’s using a framework developed from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) socially Decent Work Index (DWI). The study retained the DWI’s key dimensions: employment security, voice security, income security, skill reproduction security, and work security. However, measures of the key dimensions were broadened to capture the predominantly individualistic nature of employment relations in SE’s. The employers’ perceptions generally corresponded with the two dimensions of the ‘good employer’ prioritized by the ILO: employee voice and income security. In practice, there were instances of employees having input beyond operational matters. Nevertheless employers unilaterally determined pay and other terms and...
In New Zealand in the 1990s, labour market decentralization and new employment legislation precip... more In New Zealand in the 1990s, labour market decentralization and new employment legislation precipitated a sharp decline in unionism and collective bargaining coverage; trends that continued well into the 2000s even after the introduction of the more supportive Employment Relations Act 2000 (ERA). The ERA prescribed new bargaining rules, which included a good faith obligation, increased union rights and promoted collective bargaining as the key to building productive employment relationships (Anderson, 2004; May and Walsh, 2002). In this respect the ERA provided scope for increased collective bargaining and union renewal (Harbridge and Thickett, 2003; May, 2003a and 2003b; May and Walsh, 2002). Despite these predictions and the ERA's overall intent, the decline in collective bargaining coverage begun in the 1990s has continued unabated in the private sector. It has naturally been questioned why the ERA has not reversed, or at least halted, this downward trend. So far research has...
Twelve New Zealand workers from a range of occupations were studied to investigate the effect of ... more Twelve New Zealand workers from a range of occupations were studied to investigate the effect of wearing air-filtering respiratory protection on heart rate (HR) and facial skin temperature (T lip and T cheek) whilst working. All variables were measured continuously during simulated and actual work. The former allowed physiological measurements to be undertaken during the physical activities carried out during the work task without respirators and without exposure to hazardous airborne substances. Mean heart rates in subjects moving without respirators ranged from 75 to 94 beats/min and from 77 to 98 beats/min during respirator use at work. Mean skin temperature under the mask (T lip) increased in 11 of the 12 subjects while using respirators (range 1.2-4.8°°°°C) but T cheek only increased in four (range 0.6-1.5°°°°C). The use of simulated work tasks in the experiment was a compromise. The heart rate data from the real and simulated work indicated that effort and workload, though not identical, were similar. The increase in skin temperature under the mask may account for the reluctance of individuals to wear respiratory protection at work. This region of the face is very thermosensitive.
Background The impact and costs associated with work-related sprains and strains in New Zealand a... more Background The impact and costs associated with work-related sprains and strains in New Zealand and globally are substantial and a major occupational and public health burden. In New Zealand around one-third of all sprains and strains workers compensation (ACC) claims (2019) are for back injuries, but shoulder and arm injuries are increasing at a faster rate than other sprain and strain injuries (ACC, 2020). A need exists for a change to current approaches to sprains and strains prevention, to more effectively manage this significant and persistent problem in workplaces. Designing out hazards is one of the most effective means of preventing occupational injuries and illnesses. This paper outlines the study protocol of the surveillance, management and prevention programme and describes the utilisation of prevention through design principles in the prevention of work-related sprains and strains in agriculture/horticulture/food production in the Hawkes Bay region of New Zealand. Method...
There is little published data on noise sources related to occupational exposures, particularly i... more There is little published data on noise sources related to occupational exposures, particularly in relation to small enterprises (SE's). Most published sound level surveys focus more on exposures and controls and provide little detailed evaluation of noise sources and transmission paths. This paper describes a multiple case study designed to identify, describe and evaluate noise exposures, sources, paths and control strategies used by 30 SE's (employee count less than 20) in "high", "moderate" and "low" risk industry sectors in New Zealand. Data collection involved workplace observations, noise assessments, semi-structured interviews, self-administered questionnaires, and reference to archival data. In addition to sound level measurements in work areas and personal dosimetry, assessments of each SE's conformance to current noise management standards were undertaken. Area and personal sound level exposures were found to vary considerably within the "high risk" (agriculture, manufacturing and construction; range 80-90 dB L Aeq,8h), "moderate risk" (cafes and restaurants; range 60-75 dB L Aeq,8h) and "low risk" sectors (preschools; range 70-80 dB L Aeq,8h). Generally noise sources and paths could be readily identified in the workplaces. The predominant noise control strategy in 90% of the industry sectors was minimisation, specifically the use of personal hearing protection. In most cases, noise management strategies aimed at the noise source and noise paths could have been investigated further by the management of the small business. The findings suggest that there needs to be significant changes in expectations with respect to noise management practices and solutions for small enterprises in particular. In addition, national strategies on the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) need to be designed from a small business perspective and where noise management interventions are seen as a benefit to the enterprise rather than a cost.
Many small businesses have hazardous work environments and exposures to significant occupational ... more Many small businesses have hazardous work environments and exposures to significant occupational health and safety risks. Differences in understanding of risks by employers and employees are one of the factors leading to the hazardous work environment and risk exposures in small businesses. Employees generally describe “the tools of the trade” as the sources of risks of accidents and injuries, whereas employers generally identify “bad employees” or “bad luck” as the cause of accidents. It seems that employer and employees having the same or a shared understanding of occupational health and safety problems, their causal relations and the course of action is essential to remedy the work environment problems in the workplace. This paper describes a study that explores owner/managers’ and employees’ understandings of occupational health and safety risks in small business workplaces within the framework of the Local Theory of Work Environment. A case study of an independently operated re...
ABSTRACT Technological and legislative safety solutions will only succeed if the social systems, ... more ABSTRACT Technological and legislative safety solutions will only succeed if the social systems, attitudes and behaviours at work support them. Safety climate is one of the factors related to effective hazard management, including management of noise. Data on levels of noise, risk factors and compliance with the relevant Code of Practice were collected from 20 New Zealand small and medium workplaces with employee counts ranging from 2-48. One hundred and sixty-three (163) respondents from these workplaces also provided data on self-reported hearing protection use, safety climate and attitudes to controlling noise at work. Levels of compliance with New Zealand Approved Code of Practice requirements were low, even in workplaces with high levels of noise. Use of hearing protection devices (HPD) was highest in construction and manufacturing but no respondents in hospitality (cafes) or education (early childhood education) reported using hearing protection despite some high levels of noise.
This paper presents a conceptual model for increasing acceptable working environments for SMEs. I... more This paper presents a conceptual model for increasing acceptable working environments for SMEs. It also acts as an editorial for the special issue of Safety Science on 'Managing safety in small and medium enterprises (SMEs)'. It describes how seven of the ten papers in the special issue originate from an international conference in 2013 on Understanding Small Enterprises. It includes a commentary on the papers in the special issue as well as directing the reader to all of the current state-of-the-science sources known to the authors. The paper provides a background to previous research on safety in SMEs, showing how most current policy and legislation on occupational health and safety (OSH) and the work environment is based on large enterprises and that there is a relative paucity of research on OSH in SMEs. In a summary of current knowledge, it is argued that modern OHS legislation and interventions to help improve work environments need to increasingly take account of the specific characteristics of SMEs. The conceptual model for increasing acceptable working environments for SMEs takes its onset in a legislative standard that is built into intervention programmes and includes three instrument pillars: inspection to enhance compliance, recognition of the standard by the stakeholders in the industry sector and dissemination of information to small enterprises.
Strategy Three: Multifactorial approach Key finding 3: Interventions which combine multiple strat... more Strategy Three: Multifactorial approach Key finding 3: Interventions which combine multiple strategies are effective in NIHL prevention. Key barriers to this strategy • Requires a great deal of effort to encourage employers and employees to fulfil their statutory requirements • Long term persistence of changes uncertain Key enablers to this strategy • Leaders who actively and enthusiastically encourage intervention practices • Long intervention associated with improvement, but still unknown if this was sustained Strategy Four: Implement engineering Key finding 4: Engineering controls reduce noise exposure but little is known about the logistics and economics of their implementation.
This study examines the prevalence of a range of occupational risk factors reported by a random s... more This study examines the prevalence of a range of occupational risk factors reported by a random sample of the New Zealand working population. Methods: Men and women aged 20-64 were selected from the New Zealand Electoral Roll and invited to take part in a telephone interview, which collected information on lifetime work history, current workplace exposures and organizational factors, and various health conditions. The prevalences of occupational risk factors in each occupational and industry group are reported. Results: Three thousand and three interviews were completed (37% of the eligible sample and 55% of those that could be contacted). Trades workers reported the highest prevalences of exposure to dust (75%) and oils and solvents (59%). Agriculture and fishery workers reported the highest prevalences of exposure to pesticides (63%) and acids or alkalis (25%). Plant and machine operators and assemblers reported the highest prevalences of exposure to smoke/fume/gas (43%), working night shift in the previous 4 weeks (18%), and working irregular hours (33%). In the high exposure occupational and industry groups, males reported a higher prevalence of exposure than females. Lifting, exposure to loud noise, and the use of personal protective equipment were reported by >50% of the manual occupational groups. Conclusions: This study indicates that occupational exposure to risk factors for workrelated disease and injury remains common in the New Zealand working population. While these occupational exposures are disproportionately experienced by workers in certain industries, they also occur in occupational groups not traditionally associated with hazardous exposures or occupational disease.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sep 1, 2011
Objectives The epidemiology of NIHL in New Zealand is poorly understood and more information is n... more Objectives The epidemiology of NIHL in New Zealand is poorly understood and more information is needed to identify effective strategies to prevent hearing loss. The objective was to review the current epidemiology of NIHL in New Zealand and examine noise sources, exposures and the effectiveness of existing noise control strategies in small to medium sized enterprises. Methods Modelling was undertaken to predict rates of noise exposure and thus of the prevalence of noise induced hearing loss in different occupations and economic sectors in New Zealand industry. A case study design was utilised to identify, describe and evaluate noise sources, exposures and control strategies used by "high", "moderate" and "low" risk industry sectors in relation to exposure to noise. Results Exposure estimates are presented that question whether the model provides adequate approximations to levels of occupational noise exposure in New Zealand workplaces. Thirty three (33) small business workplaces were assessed, which showed that generally noise sources and paths could be readily identifi ed and that area and personal sound level exposure measurements varied considerably between the high, moderate and low risk industry sectors. The predominant noise control strategy used by small businesses was the use of personal hearing protection. Most enterprises surveyed did not conform to the specifi c requirements of legislative standards for noise management. Conclusions The fi ndings suggest that the regulatory priority given to personal protection and hearing conservation programmes needs to be re-evaluated and that there needs to be signifi cant changes in expectations with respect to policing the requirements of noise legislation.
Effective strategies for the prevention of noise induced hearing loss have occupied researchers, ... more Effective strategies for the prevention of noise induced hearing loss have occupied researchers, OHS practitioners and enforcement agencies for many years. This paper reports on the second part of a major study on the epidemiology and prevention of NIHL in New Zealand. The objective of the project was to evaluate existing work-related interventions to reduce NIHL, to identify critical factors in the development and implementation of such strategies, and to propose strategies/interventions where current interventions are considered ineffective. In addition, the research examined those aspects of workplace culture that affect decision-making around NIHL. A systematic review of the research literature was completed specifically focussing on the effectiveness of interventions in the prevention of NIHL and five key strategies were identified. Data collection methodologies were developed for specific industry sectors which were segregated into high, medium and low sectors of risk of NIHL. In addition to area noise measurements and personal dosimetry, assessments of the organisation's conformance to current noise management standards and safety climate data were undertaken. As anticipated, area and personal noise exposures were found to vary considerably within the "high risk" (agriculture, manufacturing and construction; range: L Aeq 8hr 80 -90 dB), "moderate risk" (cafes and restaurants; range L Aeq 8hr 60 -75 dB) and "low risk" sectors (pre-schools; range L Aeq 8hr 70 -80 dB). Data on enterprise conformance with the Approved Code of Practice for the Management of Noise in the Workplace indicated that most enterprises surveyed did not conform to the specific requirements of the Code in relation to noise management. As a consequence of the research, a comprehensive multi level intervention strategy is proposed.
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Papers by Ian Laird