Noise operator exposure in olive oil mills

Noise in work environment is among the major causes of concern for safety and health of the industrial workers, as it causes annoyance and hearing loss. As with most occupational diseases, recognition and assessment of noise exposure are the foundations on which preventive measures and treatments are based. Aim of this study was to identify the predominant noise sources in the workrooms of two small olive oil mills in the South-East of Sicily and to measure the extent of noise exposure of the workers. The two mills differ essentially for the crushing system: based upon a millstone in the former and upon a steel-hammer type in the latter. The results showed quite high sound pressure levels, especially in the second mill (average of 93.7 dB(A)). In the first mill, sound pressure levels ranged from 75.2 up to 94.4 dB(A), depending from the machines running contemporarily. The main sources of noise were the leaves remover and the washing machine in both mills, as well as the steel hammer-type crusher in the second mill.