Improving Vocal Health and Safety in Industrial Work Place
Introduction: Employee exposure to harmful dust, heat, noise and hazardous chemicals might cause several occupational diseases and voice disorder is one of them. There is a limited research on vocal health and safety in workplaces. In addition, there is a lack of awareness among employees and employers about vocal health and safety in the working environment. Work-related voice disorders might cause sick leaves, stress, low productivity and in severe cases a permanent damage to the voice.
Objective: To detect work-related voice disorders in chlorine manufacturing industry. To improve vocal health and safety among employees in industrial workplace
Methods: Examining 50 employees in chlorine manufacturing industry using the occupational health assessment done by an occupational health physician and voice assessment done by a qualified voice therapist.
Results: The study identified the influencing factors for workrelated voice disorders in chlorine manufacturing industry such as level and time of exposure and rest time during work. The types of voice disorders and the perceptual vocal characteristics were identified for each employee as well as the acoustic data of the voice. In addition, the effects of work-related voice disorders on the working environment were studied.
Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of examining the vocal health and safety among employees in chlorine manufacturing industry. It is important that the occupational health physician refer employees with occupational voice disorders to the voice therapy. Employees who are at risk of occupational voice disorder can follow a hygienic preventive program and employers might consider enhancing the working environment and the level of awareness about vocal health and safety and following rules and regulations of work-place health and safety.
Dua Qutishat*
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