Noise hazards associated with the call centre industry V. PLANEAU

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Samuel Booker
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1 Noise hazards associated with the call centre industry V. PLANEAU

2 Introduction Fast growth of the telecommunication sector : - up to workers in France, workers in Europe. Development of new technologies: new amplified headsets. Few studies devoted to the assessment of noise exposure in telecommunication sector. Many complaints recorded relative to voice and hearing disorder.

5 Methodology : Development of the measurement method Headset main noise source. French and European noise legislation apply to an incident acoustic pressure level existing outside the ear. Difficult to determine noise levels existing outside the ear when noise is generated by a headset. Use of the ISO Standard.

6 Methodology : Development of the measurement method ISO Standard Part 1 Microphone In the Real Ear (MIRE technique) Part 2 Manikin with ear simulators (Manikin technique) The two technique use specific frequency dependant corrections to transform the measurements into equivalent A weighted diffuse field levels.

7 Methodology : Development of a light weight measurement method based on the ISO11904 using an artificial ear.

8 Methodology : Uncertainties Uncertainties are linked to : - headset position on the measuring system, - interpersonal variability of the correction, - sampling technique used to choose the operators. Uncertainties are estimated to be globally around 5 db.

9 Measurements in companies Noise measurements in 24 call centre : - maximum acoustic pressure level delivered by headset, - average background noise level, - estimation of the daily noise exposure level, - answers to a questionnaire on the operator s knowledge of noise effects.

10 Measurement in companies

11 Methodology : Measurement in companies 110 Figure 2 : série chronologique des L eq,1s bruts pour un opérateur 100 Level (db) temps (s) Time (s)

12 Results of call centre

13 Results db(a) 25 73% des opérateurs 27 % des opérateurs % of operators niveau d'exposition sonore quotidienne équivalente en champ incident diffus (db(a)) Daily noise exposure level db(a)

14 Results % CNAM 35 33% ISO Pourcentage de plateaux % of call centre % Wisner niveau global de bruit ambiant moyen (db(a)) Background noise level db(a)

15 Results summary 73% of call centre use telephone installations generating noise levels exceeding 85 db(a). 27% of operators are daily exposed with more than 85 db(a), 25% are between 80 and 85 db(a). 66% of call centre have a background noise level higher than the recommended ISO level. 36% of operators do not know or are not aware of the potential hearing damage risk.

16 Recommendations for noise exposure reduction - Information of operators about noise effects - Regular training on the headset and telephone equipment - Reduce the background noise : - acoustical treatment of the wall and ceiling of the workplace - enlargement of the workplace : 10 m 2 space per operator - active noise control on headset - Adapted organisational choices

HEALTH EFFECTS OF NOISE EXPOSURE AT WORK. Pr P. FRIMAT CHRU - Université Lille 2

HEALTH EFFECTS OF NOISE EXPOSURE AT WORK Pr P. FRIMAT CHRU - Université Lille 2 Le silence est la qualité des machines parfaites (P. VALERY) «Silence is the quality of perfect machines» Sans bruit, on