The study objective was to characterize noise exposures and hearing protector usage at small-scale logging operations. Noise dosimeters were used to measure exposures of 31 loggers at two cable operations and five mechanized operations in the United States. Activity cards were employed to evaluate hearing protector usage. Ninety-two percent of cable operation loggers were overexposed to noise according to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommended criteria, but only 46% of cable loggers wore hearing protection. Six percent of mechanized operation loggers were overexposed to noise over the 8-h shifts observed, but this number increased to 33% when working 12-h shifts, which was a common practice among the participant companies. Only 6% of mechanized loggers wore hearing protection. Mean noise exposures and the proportion of hearing protection usage were both significantly greater at cable operations than at mechanized operations. None of the logging operations had hearing conservation programs in place. Despite the use of mechanized logging equipment and methods, the potential for noise-induced hearing loss remains a concern for workers employed at small-scale operations in the logging industry.

研究目的是表征小规模采伐作业中的噪声暴露和听力保护器的使用。在美国，噪声剂量计被用于测量31条记录仪在两次电缆作业和五次机械化作业中的暴露。使用活动卡评估听力保护器的使用情况。根据美国国家职业安全与健康研究所推荐的标准，有92％的电缆操作记录仪暴露于噪音中，但只有46％的电缆记录仪佩戴了听力保护装置。在观察到的8小时班次中，有6％的机械操作记录仪过度暴露于噪音中，但是当工作12小时班次时，这一数字增加到33％，这是参与公司的一种常见做法。机械记录器中只有6％佩戴了听力保护装置。与机械操作相比，电缆操作的平均噪声暴露和听力保护使用的比例均明显更高。没有一个伐木作业有听力保护程序。尽管使用了机械化的采伐设备和方法，但是噪声引起的听力损失的可能性仍然是采伐业中从事小规模作业的工人所关注的问题。