Assessment of noise exposure level and its characteristics in olive oil mills: implications for worker health.

OBJECTIVES: Noise generated in olive oil mills poses a danger to workers' physical health. Although noise exposure levels in olive oil mills are high, few studies have investigated them. This study assessed noise exposure levels in Jordanian olive oil mills, their distribution, and sound characteristic to inform appropriate safety measures for protecting workers' hearing health. METHODS: Sound pressure levels were measured across 6 operational areas: loading area, cleaning units, hammer crusher and malaxer, decanter, centrifugal separator, and offices area. The sound pressure levels were measured alongside C-weighted peak level, percentiles 10 and 90, and maximum and minimum levels with fast-time weighting. RESULTS: Noise exposure levels exceeded international and Jordanian directives upper limit of 85 dB(A), reaching 100 dB(A). Spectral analysis shows dominant sound pressure levels around the 2 and 4 kHz frequencies. None of the employees in the investigated mills wore personal protective equipment (earplugs or earmuffs), and most of them worked 10 to 11 h daily, exposing them to significant risks of noise-induced hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: Olive oil mills should take actions to reduce noise using sound-absorbing materials on walls and machine enclosures. There is a concerning lack of awareness regarding noise-related hazards, and awareness campaigns for mill owners and employees are important to drive significant improvements achieving good health and well-being.