NOISE EXPOSURE AND HEARING IMPAIRMENT AMONG MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY WORKERS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
Abstract
Noise exposure is a major occupational risk factor contributing to Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), particularly in the manufacturing sector where noise levels are typically high. This study aims to examine the association between occupational noise exposure and hearing impairment through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) conducted using the PRISMA framework. Literature searches were performed across PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Garuda using the keywords “noise exposure,” “industrial worker,” “manufacturing industry,” and “hearing loss,” covering publications from 2010 to 2025. Of the 50 articles identified, 25 met the inclusion criteria, which are published between 2010-2025 and full-text availability. The synthesized findings indicate that noise exposure exceeding 85 dBA consistently increases the risk of NIHL, particularly among workers with more than five years of employment. The use of hearing protection devices and the implementation of a Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) were shown to reduce the risk of hearing loss by approximately 30–40%. These results highlight the critical role of noise control within occupational health and safety management systems, especially in alignment with ISO 45001 requirements.
Keywords: hearing loss, manufacturing industry, noise, occupational health and safety
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