Effect of Occupational Noise Exposure to Work-Fatigue of Indonesian Crumb Rubber Plants

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of noise on the level of work-fatigue in the production area of three crumb rubber plants at Padang City, Indonesia. It also examines the impact of age, period work, marital status, and education level on work-fatigue. Occupational noise in the working area was measured using a Sound Level Meter, while work-fatigue was measured using the Indonesian fatigue measurement questionnaire (KAPUK2). The respondents of this study were workers in these plants, 213 people in the wet-area, and 135 people in the dry-area. Results showed that the average noise of the production area had exceeded the threshold value, which was 90.98 dB. There were 26.19% experienced mild-fatigue, 71.43% moderate-fatigue, and 2.38% heavy-fatigue. Noise, age, and working experience were a related and significant influence on work-fatigue, where the probability value was respectively 0.046, 0.001, and 0.000 (p≤ 0.05). The results of multiple regressions showed that occupational noise was the most influential factor in the occurrence of work-fatigue with an odds ratio of 3.92.