Metodologia para definição de estratégia de controle e avaliação de ruído ocupacional

Abstract

The high levels of noise have been a serious problem in the workplace, especially in industries, causing damage to health of many employees. However, in many cases, control of noise levels requires complex engineering measures, with attendant high costs and thus demands good technical and financial planning. In this context, this work aimed to develop a methodology for evaluation and control of noise at work, by means of tools that can predict outcomes and costs of implementation of the control noise measures, to give guidelines for a management strategy of occupational noise. For the development of this research was used as a case study an industrial warehouse near the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte where the noise levels within the environment were high. The methodology adopted in this study aimed to characterizethe noise in this environment, linking the noise from the equipment with noise levels of sound pressure on jobs. Furthermore, in order to predict the noise at the work space after acoustic treatment of equipment the potential for mitigation of noise levels in machinery has been identified.The analysis of different scenarios of acoustic treatment on sound sources and on the environment allowed to evaluate the cost-benefit corresponding to each scenario and therefore has set guidelines for acoustic treatment to adjust the noise levels to the standards of occupational health. It was found that the association with acoustictreatment of sound sources and treatment of the environment by absorbing surfaces provided very satisfactory results, especially in places where the influence of the reverberation effect is greater. However, from an economical view point the acoustic treatment of all equipment of the production line seems to be a better option than to invest in the treatment of the surfaces of the environment.