Repository logo
 

Occupational noise exposure and hearing assessment of hydraulic fracturing workers: quiet versus conventional fleets

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorBlevens, Melissa S., author
dc.contributor.authorBrazile, William, advisor
dc.contributor.authorTsai, Candace Su-Jung, committee member
dc.contributor.authorVan Dyke, Michael, committee member
dc.contributor.authorAutenrieth, Daniel, committee member
dc.contributor.authorLipsey, Tiffany, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2024-05-27T10:32:56Z
dc.date.available2024-05-27T10:32:56Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractOil and gas extraction companies are exempt from implementing hearing conservation programs for their workers according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) noise standard. The occupational noise exposure and hearing status of these workers has not been published in scientific literature before the present study, presumably due to this exemption. In this study, area and personal noise exposures and worker hearing acuity were measured at both conventional and quiet hydraulic fracturing fleets, allowing a comparison between the fleets. Quiet fleets refer to the use of engineering controls to decrease noise levels of the pumps while conventional fleets do not employ these measures. In both fleets, the authors conducted personal noise dosimetry, equipment noise measurements, and pure tone audiometry pre- and post-work shift to determine if there were temporary threshold shifts (TTS) in hearing. Based on the personal noise dosimetry results, 42/50 (84%) of the quiet fleet and 34/34 (100%) of the conventional fleet workers sampled were at or over 100% noise dose according to the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' (ACGIH) noise Threshold Limit Value (TLV). Based on the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) noise criteria, 9/50 (18%) of the quiet fleet workers and 15/34 (44.1%) of the conventional fleet workers were at or over 100% noise dose. Workers in both fleets experienced TTS, but no significant difference was observed between the types of fleets in relation to TTS. Most equipment of both fleets exceeded 85 decibels, but the pumps of the quiet fleet were ~14 dB lower than those of the conventional fleet. Although the quiet fleet noise controls reduced personal noise exposure, a portion of the quiet fleet workers sampled still faced noise levels that could increase the risk of hearing loss. The researchers suggest the initiation of a hearing conservation program despite OSHA exemption to safeguard worker health and recommend workers involved in certain job tasks employ dual hearing protection based on the exposure monitoring results.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumdoctoral dissertations
dc.identifierBlevens_colostate_0053A_18340.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/238524
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2020-
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectdosimetry
dc.subjectindustrial hygiene
dc.subjecttemporary threshold shift
dc.subjectfracking
dc.subjectaudiogram
dc.subjectoil and gas extraction
dc.titleOccupational noise exposure and hearing assessment of hydraulic fracturing workers: quiet versus conventional fleets
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineEnvironmental and Radiological Health Sciences
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Blevens_colostate_0053A_18340.pdf
Size:
1.09 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

2020-
Theses and Dissertations