BACKGROUND: Workplace noise exposure gains growing attention in
high tech industry.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the noise effect on
physiological and subjective responses in semiconductor manufacturing clean
room environment.
METHODS: Twenty subjects including 10 males and
10 females completed all phases of the experiment. Each subject was asked to
participate in four treatment combinations of two noise intensities [65
dB(A) and 80 dB(A)] × two frequency levels [high and low]. For each
treatment condition, the subject was exposed to the specified noise
condition in a sound proof cabin for one hour. The physiological measures
included blood pressure and heart rate. The subjective measures included
noise sensitivity, fatigue and annoyance.
RESULTS: The ANOVA
results indicate that long-time noise exposure caused significant increase
in blood pressure (p< 0.001). Furthermore, the noise intensity by time
interaction effect was found to be significant on annoyance and fatigue.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that prolonged exposure to noise
intensity at 80 dB(A) would result in a significant increase in
physiological cost and subjective discomfort feeling. Thus, some
countermeasures should be taken to reduce noise exposure and to promote
health, and quality of working life.
