ESTIMATING THE NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSSES UNDER FUZZY ENVIRONMENT

Year 2023, Volume: 31 Issue: 3, 775 - 786, 16.12.2023

Mert Mutlu

https://doi.org/10.31796/ogummf.1296740

Abstract

Noise causes many negative effects both in our daily life and working life, reduces our quality of life, and affects our mental health directly or indirectly. The most common consequence of noise exposure is especially permanent hearing loss called noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL is very prevalent in almost every stage of the mining industry. Therefore, the assessment of noise levels of mining operations and the estimation of NIHLs of employees is an important issue to prevent and minimize them. This study is aimed to the modeling of NIHL prediction at a quarry located in Aksaray, Turkey. Initially, noise levels were measured with a sound level meter for employees working in different positions for the quarry, and daily exposure levels (Lex,8h) were determined. Audiometry tests were also performed on all employees and NIHLs were evaluated and determined by an audiometrist. According to the results, 5 employees had NIHL in this enterprise. A fuzzy inference system (FIS)-based NIHL estimating model implemented on fuzzy logic using the Sugeno inference mechanism was developed. The model predicts NIHLs for given occupation, age, experience, and Lex,8h parameters. To determine the accurate prediction ability of the model, field noise measurements and audiometry test results data were used. The obtained results indicated that the model has accurate a prediction ability with a 94% success rate. This study proposes a method with high predictive ability using fuzzy sets theory, and will be a guide for the top management in considering the damage effects of noise in enterprises.

Keywords

Open-pit mining, Noise-induced hearing loss, Fuzzy logic, Fuzzy inference system

BULANIK ORTAMDA GÜRÜLTÜYE BAĞLI İŞİTME KAYIPLARININ TAHMİN EDİLMESİ

Abstract

Gürültü, hem günlük yaşamımızda, hem de çalışma hayatımızda birçok olumsuz etkilere neden olmakta, yaşam kalitemizi düşürmekte ve ruh sağlığımızı doğrudan veya dolaylı yoldan etkilemektedir. Gürültüye maruz kalmanın en yaygın sonucu, özellikle gürültüye bağlı işitme kaybı adı verilen kalıcı işitme kaybıdır. Gürültüye bağlı işitme kaybı madencilik sektörünün hemen her aşamasında çok yaygındır. Bu nedenle, maden işletmelerinde gürültü düzeylerinin değerlendirilmesi ve çalışanların gürültüye bağlı işitme kayıplarının tahmini, bunların önlenmesi ve en aza indirilmesi için önemli bir konudur. Bu çalışma, Türkiye'de Aksaray ilinde bulunan bir taş ocağında gürültüye bağlı işitme kaybının tahmininin modellenmesini amaçlamaktadır. Başlangıçta taş ocağı için farklı pozisyonlarda çalışan işçiler için gürültü ölçüm cihazı ile gürültü ölçümleri yapılmış ve günlük gürültü maruziyetleri (Lex,8h) belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca tüm çalışanlara odyometrik testler uygulanmış ve gürültüye bağlı işitme kayıpları bir odyometrist ile birlikte değerlendirilmiş ve belirlenmiştir. Sonuçlara göre, bu işletmede 5 çalışanda gürültüye bağlı işitme kaybı mevcuttur. Sugeno çıkarım mekanizmasıyla bulanık mantık üzerinde uygulanan bir bulanık çıkarım sistemi tabanlı gürültüye bağlı işitme kaybı tahmin modeli geliştirilmiştir. Model, verilen meslek, yaş, deneyim ve Lex,8h parametrelerini kullanarak gürültüye bağlı işitme kayıplarını tahmin etmektedir. Modelin doğru tahmin yeteneğini belirleyebilmek için, sahadaki gürültü ölçümleri ve odyometrik test sonuçları verileri kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlar, modelin %94 başarı oranı ile doğru tahmin yeteneğine sahip olduğunu göstermiştir. Bu çalışma, bulanık kümeler teorisini kullanarak doğru tahmin yeteneği yüksek bir yöntem önermektedir ve işletmelerde gürültünün olumsuz etkilerini dikkate almada üst yönetim için bir rehber olacaktır.

Keywords

Açık işletme madenciliği, Gürültüye bağlı işitme kaybı, Bulanık mantık, Bulanık çıkarım sistemi

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