Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Modelling Using Fuzzy System in Mining Industry

Abstract

This paper describes a fuzzy system approach to modelling noise-induced hearing loss in the mining industry. Hearing loss has been considered as a function of noise level, frequency, and exposure time. The model is implemented on Fuzzy toolbox of MATLAB using Mamdani inference mechanism. The model results are compared with the survey findings of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Pittsburgh, and were found to be in good agreement. The model clearly brings out the salient features of the surveys concerning the variation of hearing loss with frequency for various duration of exposure times. viz., the hearing loss is not appreciable below 2kHz and becomes pronounced between 2–4kHz in case of NIOSH and 3–5 kHz in case of EPA respectively. The model clearly reveals that the duration of exposure can be used to infer the hearing loss for industrial workers of different age groups.