Noise Exposure of Cargo Workers in King Abdul Aziz Airport - Research Proposal Example

Noise Exposure of Cargo Workers in King Abdul Aziz Airport – Research Proposal of of 31 October, ContentsExecutive Summary 3 Summary and Recommendations 3 Introduction 5 Summary 5 Conclusion 5 Recommendations 6 Background Situation 7 Technical Background 7 Literature/Information 8 Requirements 9 Option Comparison 9 Costs 10 Bibliography 12 Executive Summary This proposal examines the issue and problem of hearing loss at the cargo unit of the King Abdul Aziz Airport of Saudi Arabia. The aim of the proposal is to reduce hearing loss in the cargo unit by 50% in the next 2 years. The proposal critiques the important elements and aspects of hearing loss as it occurs in the general context and how it occurs in practice, through a literature review. The findings show that the environment, noise levels, work practice, technology for protection and the system of enforcing existing practice determines the levels of preventing hearing loss. The study culminates in presenting two main options and possibilities that could be used to prevent hearing loss in the cargo unit of the airport in question. The first option is to improve the existing hearing loss protection system. The second option is to undertake an independent review and analysis of the hearing loss situation and how it is caused. This is to lead to a series of recommendations that will cause the unit to change its equipment over the next two years Summary and Recommendations The main recommendations include the choice of option 2 which is to conduct an independent review and audit of the existing system. This is to lead to the critical audit of the hearing loss cases and its related issues. The process will include an analysis of the current situation through an independent consultant who will evaluate the environment and the technology that will best deal with the existing situation and its lapses. The findings will serve as guidance for the formulation of recommendations. These recommendations will lead to an action plan that will serve to replace the existing system and put in place new equipment and systems that will meet the targets of the study. The total cost of this project is to be pegged at $1.5 million in the first year. This is to be reduced in the second year to $700,000. The aim of this is to create a completely different system that will meet the target of reducing hearing loss by 50% in the next two years. Introduction The purpose of this proposal is to present a way through which the hearing loss situation of the cargo unit of the King Abdul Aziz Airport can be reduced by 50% in the next two years. It provides a critical review of literature on hearing loss and how it exists in practice. From there, a plan on how to complete the hearing loss reduction is presented in the form of two options and the best option is chosen. Summary The proposal identifies in the literature review that there are numerous factors that leads to hearing loss in workers located in high-risk industries and workplaces. It identifies that there are major problems which includes the exposure levels, frequency of exposure as well as the elements of the environment like vibration and chemicals that induces hearing loss amongst workers in these areas. The literature review points out that there are risks in areas like the protective equipment technology and the level of usage of this protective equipment at the workplace. Also, it is identified that the education of workers on how to use these protective clothing plays a role in the level of hearing loss that occur in an industrialized workplace. Conclusion Upon the identification of the main risks in hearing loss prevention, there were two main options that were presented for review. The first option indicated that the researchers will build on the existing system and this will mean examining what is being done to prevent hearing loss in the cargo department and enhancing them. This option will build on the existing system and improve it through various activities. The second option is to create a critical audit and find ways of modifying the existing hearing loss reduction levels. This is to create new and different approaches and methods that will lead to the provision of important approaches and methods that can be institutionalized to prevent hearing losses. The two options presented conflict situations that included the use of an evolutionary system as against a revolutionary method that will change the hearing loss protection system significantly. Recommendations It is identified in the proposal that it will be difficult to create a situation whereby the existing system can be improved to attain the high level of success expected. This is because to attain 50% reduction of hearing loss, there will be the need to cut down on a lot of things and this will inevitably mean the existing system will have to be reduced. Therefore, the second option was chosen. This will be done by evaluating the existing causes of hearing loss through an audit and the presentation of a new strategy and approach for the replacement of the hearing loss system of the airport’s cargo unit. This will mean the raising of funds for auditing, analysis and changing of equipment in the airport’s cargo unit. Background Situation Noise is an inevitable part of airports. The average aircraft produces over 60 decibels of noise and this creates many medical and health risks for people who are exposed to such levels of sound. This includes the stress of challenges like heart diseases and other forms of disorders that might lead to many problems. Hearing loss is a major problem with different people and this comes with hereditary and other consequential issues and matters that cause people to lose their ability to hear (FSF Editorial Staff, 2000). Noise-related hearing loss has to do with the damage to the inner ear, auditory nerve and auditory nerve pathway to the brain (FSF Editorial Staff, 2000). Huge volumes of noise of over 85 decibels create a situation whereby the pathway for the gathering of information and transmission to the brain is damaged and destroyed in order to prevent people from hearing properly and appropriately (FSF Editorial Staff, 2000). On the other hand, high noise levels induce other complications in the human ear and this can lead to complications that can cause hereditary challenges to be revived and cause damage to an individual. Technical Background The King Abdul Aziz Airport in Saudi Arabia is one of the busiest airports in the world and many cargo workers are exposed to high levels of sound emissions from flights. Although there is an air quality and noise pollution management unit at the airport, there is still a risk of hearing loss amongst the workers of the airport. Numerous claims have been made by cargo workers concerning hearing losses and other related diseases. The purpose of this study is to examine the lapses that exist in the existing noise protection system and its risks of creating hearing loss. From there, the study will provide a recommendation on how to improve the situation and prevent cargo workers at the King Abdul Aziz Airport from getting hearing complications. Literature/Information “Noise exposure is the commonest preventable cause of occupational hearing loss. Whilst occupational noise induced hearing loss is preventable, once acquired, it is irreversible” (Morris, 2006, p. 2). Studies show that effects of noise exposure on rodents suggest that the impact can be felt in the central nervous system and this creates a complicated chemical interaction that leads to permanent hearing loss when they are exposed to repeated high noises (Sorg, Tschirgi, Swindell, Chen, & Fang, 2001). Noise is defined as unwanted sound and it is stated from research that exposure to over 85 decibels of sound causes hearing loss risks (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 2013). The frequency and intensity of sound as well as the duration of exposure to a given kind of sound determines the probability of hearing loss occurring (Federal Aviation Administration, 2012). Airline staff members are identified to be exposed to above-average hearing risk exposure levels in most countries (Lindgren & Smedje, 2010). The lapse in the usage of hearing protection equipment is identified to be one of the main causes of hearing loss in the aviation industry (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 2013). This is due to ignorance and the lack of understanding of the technical components of hearing loss in the industry. Other chemicals like formaldehyde is dangerous to the human organs and if it enters parts of the body like the ears, people tend to get major hearing complications that can affect their ability to hear (Feng, Musto, & Suslick, 2009). Some of these chemicals change forms into gaseous substances and they add up to the risks faced by workers in an airport like King Abdul Aziz Airport. Aside these chemical solvents, studies show that occupational deafness is strongly linked to vibrations and smoking habits of people exposed to environmental noises (Manna & Basu, 2011). This implies that other circumstances come together to define the way and manner within which hearing loss could occur and how frequent it might occur. In order to deal with hearing losses, there is the need to identify high-risk areas of a given facility like an airport and institute a hearing loss prevention program (Morris, 2006). From there, there is the need to promote hazard awareness and check protective gear technologically (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 2013). Requirements The fundamental requirement of this proposal is to find a way of cutting down hearing loss in the King Abdul Aziz Airport in Jeddah by 50% in the next 2 years. This will be done by systematically reducing it by 25% each year for the next five years. This will be done by the creation of an appropriate program that will detect issues and risks and also improve the system of dealing with these risks. The main area of consideration is the cargo department of the airport and this is to be done by examining the main requirements and situations in the airport and also provide a method of dealing with them. Option Comparison One option is to build on the existing noise protection system and improve it by creating better systems of reducing hearing loss within the system. Another option is to create a completely new auditing system that will culminate in the presentation of a series of recommendations based on new findings. Option 1 is problematic because if we are aiming at cutting down on hearing loss by a given percentage, then there is the need to find new and improved methods. This is because the existing system might have inherent issues that have led to the existing percentage of issues. Option 2 can be carried out and this will be done by conducting an audit of the situations and matters in the airport. From there, the audit will inform of issues in relation to: 1. The environment 2. Protective equipment technology 3. Protection equipment usage 4. Chemicals in the premises 5. Working trends These five pointers will inform practice and provide the impetus for the drawing up of an empirical study plan that will lead to the presentation of findings on how to systematically cut down on hearing loss by half in the coming years. Therefore, option 2 is the chosen option that will be applied in this study. Costs The plan for the reduction in the level of hearing loss amongst workers in the cargo department of the King Abdul Aziz Airport will include the presentation of various forms of audit works and assignments as a means of detecting limitations. Aside this, there will be the need to procure new technology as a means of dealing with the existing situation in order to improve it over the coming years. Budget of the plan: Expenditure 2014 2015 New program development $150,000 Consulting $50,000 $50,000 Auditing $500,000 $250,000 Preliminary Testing $200,000 $100,000 New equipment $450,000 $200,000 Installation $100,000 $50,000 Training $50,000 $50,000 Total $1,500,000 $700,000 The work will be done over a two-year period. In this period, there will be an expenditure that will include the development of the new program. This will be done by seeking important views and others through consultation. This will draw up the plan for the project and mobilize some basic members of the team. The design of the project will cost $150,000 and there will be the acquisition of help from third-party consultants at the cost of $50,000. From there, the whole project will proceed with the auditing of the needs of the parties. This will be followed by preliminary testing. This will inform the acquisition and installation of new equipment at $550,000 for both. However, training will be conducted at $20 per hour per worker in the cargo department. An estimated 2,500 training hours will be conducted and this will come at a total cost of $50,000. In the second year, the whole process will be repeated. However, the costs from the first year will include some start-up costs. New inputs and new materials will be acquired in the second year and this will come up to a total of $700,000. Bibliography Federal Aviation Administration. (2012, May 4). Hearing and Noise in Aviation. Retrieved from Federal Aviation Administration: http://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety Feng, L., Musto, C., & Suslick, K. S. (2009). A Simple and Highly Sensitive Colorimetric Detection Method for Gaseous Formaldehyde. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 4046-4047. FSF Editorial Staff. (2000). Heredity, Disease and Aging Present Crewmembers with Increased Risk of Hearing Loss. Flight Safety Foundation: Human Factors and Aviation Medicine 47(4), 1-8. Lindgren, T., & Smedje, G. (2010). Hearing Statusm Among Airline Maintenance Personnel in the Swedish Commercial Airline Company. Department of Medical Sciences/Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1-7. Manna, N., & Basu, G. (2011). Occupational Deafness of Workers in A Heavy Engineering Industry of West Bengal: An In-Depth Cross-Sectional Study. Sudanese Journal of Public Health, 91-97. Morris, H. (2006). Work-Related Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Australia. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. (2013). Prevalence and Associated Factors of Hearing Impairment in Aviation and Manufacturing Industry in Selangor. Occupational Health Division: Consultation, Research and Development Department, 1-19. Sorg, B. A., Tschirgi, M. A., Swindell, S., Chen, L., & Fang, J. (2001). Repeated Formaldehyde Effects in an Animal Model for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity . Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 57-69. Read More