NHCA NHCA 20102010

HEARING LOSS PREVENTION TRAINING, NOISE MEASUREMENTS

AND AUDIOLOGICAL EXAMS IMPROVES WORK CONDITIONS

AMONG INDUSTRIAL FISHERMEN IN THE SOUTH OF BRAZIL

Evelyn AlbizuFundacentro/Ministry of

LaborCuritiba, Paraná, Brazil

NHCA 2010

This presentation reports:

partial findings from AquaForum, a Brazilian Government National Program which included

hearing loss prevention training and education, noise measurements and

audiological testing and

how it contributed to change occupational health practice among fishermen in Brazil.

INTRODUCTIONN

Fishing is:Fishing is: one of the humankind oldest productive activities; one of the humankind oldest productive activities;

one of the most important global economical sectors one of the most important global economical sectors (1% of global workforce); (1% of global workforce);

one of the most dangerous working activities;one of the most dangerous working activities;

responsible for 75% of the all global mortality among responsible for 75% of the all global mortality among workers;workers;

~15 million fishermen are employed aboard fishing ~15 million fishermen are employed aboard fishing vessels operating in the marine capture fisheries, vessels operating in the marine capture fisheries, mostly on mostly on vessels less than 24 meters in length. vessels less than 24 meters in length.

SOURCE: ILO 2009

COMMERCIAL FISHING:COMMERCIAL FISHING:

1.1. Vessels Vessels >> than24 meters in length than24 meters in length: : Industrial FishingIndustrial Fishing

2.2. Vessels Vessels << than 24 meters in length than 24 meters in length: Small-: Small-scale and Artisanal fishingscale and Artisanal fishing

Small-scaleSmall-scale - - use most advanced fishing technology and electronics on board, small fishing craft (high level of income and standard of living)

Artisanal fishing Artisanal fishing -- mostly poor fisherfolk, operate low-investment boats and fishing equipment. Most live in remote, coastal communities where living standards and quality of life keep them at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid (developing countries)

Source: ILO 2009

BRAZIL

artisanal fishermen (artisanal fishermen (work > than 8 hours/ day, with less than 16 hours of rest and often > than 5 days/week, but they go home everyday): ~ 1.2 million1.2 million (family based economic regime and small vessels);

industrial fishermen industrial fishermen work embarked from 20-30 days/trip, exposed to motorboats noise, hardly any acoustical rest due (1 hour sleep – 4 hours work): 45,00045,000 (employees of industrial fishing companies).

Source: SEAP/PR, 2009

METHODS

Participants were interviewed on medical and

work history, type of vessel used, occupational and non-occupational noise exposure.

Noise measurements were conducted during representative fishing trips.

Audiological tests were conducted after acoustical rest (14 hours).

Lectures were given to the fishermen showing them the results (Training and Education).

Equipments used:

Integrating Sound Level Meter

Noise Dosimeters

Sound Level Measurements

The standard used is based on TWA of 8 hours, 40 hours/week and a PEL of 85 dB (A) for 8 hours of exposure, with both 3 dB and 5 dB exchange rates.

Sound level measurements

Audiological Testing

Pure-tone audiometry (air- 500 Hz- 8 kHz range- and bone conduction) & immitance audiometry

ARTISANAL ARTISANAL FISHERMENFISHERMEN

Audiological Testing

INDUSTRIAL FISHERMENINDUSTRIAL FISHERMEN

RESULTS

Fishermen, artisanal and industrial are exposed to high sound levels –

85 to 114 dB(A) - from motorboats

In both categories:

The working conditions expose them to other unfavorable work factors such as climatic variations, humidity, vibration, sleep deprivation and night work.

2004: NUMBER AND % OF THE AUDIOMETRIC CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE STUDIED GROUPS

141 male artisanal fishermen

AUDIOMETRIC

CLASSIFICATION

GROUP1

Nº %

GROUP 2

Nº %

GROUP 3

Nº %

GROUP 4

Nº %

CONTROL

Nº %

Normal Bilateral

thresholds < 25 dB HL

10 13.5 1 3.3 12 63.2 5 27.8 67 90.7

High frequency loss 61 82.5 27 90 5 26.3 12 66.7 7 9.3

Other 3 4 2 6.7 2 10.5 1 5.5 0 0

Total 74 100 30 100 9 100 18 100 73 100

GROUP 1: Exposed to high SPL / motorboats, no previous noise exposure;

GROUP 2: Exposed to high SPL / motorboats, with previous noise exposure;

GROUP 3: Not exposed / boats without engines, no previous noise exposure;

GROUP 4: boats without engines and previous noise exposure.

Paini, Morata, Corteletti, Albizu et al., 2009

RESULTSIndustrial Fishermen

Percentage of cases

2007N= 172

%

2008N= 106

%

2009N=84

%

Normal hearing 8 36 33

High frequency HL 58 41 64

Other configurations 34 23 3

TRAINING & EDUCATION

Hearing Loss Prevention

Artisanal fishermen (Paraná): 402 participants (2007 & 2008)

Industrial fishermen (Santa Catarina): 193 participants (2008 & 2009)

LEGISLATIONLEGISLATION C188 Work in Fishing Convention, 2007C188 Work in Fishing Convention, 2007

(revision of Convention 113- Medical Examination, 1959)(revision of Convention 113- Medical Examination, 1959)

Article 11: Each Member shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures providing for:

(a) the nature of medical examinations;

(b) the form and content of medical certificates;

Article 12: On a fishing vessel of 24 meters in length and over, or on a vessel which normally remains at sea for more than three days:

1. The medical certificate of a fisher shall state, at a minimum, that:

(a) the hearing and sight of the fisher concerned are satisfactory for the fisher's duties on the vessel;

IN BRAZILIN BRAZIL

In 2009, due to our findings the Port Authority in Itajaí, a coastal

city inSanta Catarina State, began requiring audiometric testing prior to issuing or

renewing a fishing license.

TEAMTEAM INDUSTRIAL HYGIENEINDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

Evelyn AlbizuEvelyn AlbizuFundacentro/Ministry of Labor, Curitiba, PR, 80030-320 Brazil

Mario Sergio dos SantosMario Sergio dos SantosFundacentro/Ministry of Labor, Florianopolis, SC, 88020-200 Brazil

AUDIOLOGYAUDIOLOGY

Adriana B. Lacerda; Adriana B. Lacerda; Claudia G. O. Gonçalves; Claudia G. O. Gonçalves;

Adriana Betes Heupa;Adriana Betes Heupa;

Department of Communication Disorders, Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, 80710-250, Brazil

SPECIAL THANKSSPECIAL THANKS

AUDIOLOGISTS AUDIOLOGISTS

20042004

Michele Paini & Lorayne Santos

- Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná

20072007

Simone RoggiaSimone Roggia – Universidade Vale do Itajaí

Sandie Poulin and Julie BarilSandie Poulin and Julie Baril – University of Montreal

Karlin KlagenbergKarlin Klagenberg – Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná

20092009

Fabiane Paulin, Milena Raquel Iantas, Patricia Schiniski, Fabiane Paulin, Milena Raquel Iantas, Patricia Schiniski, Rebecca TorquatoRebecca Torquato – Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná

SPECIAL THANKSSPECIAL THANKS

SANTA CATARINA STATE FISHERMEN UNION

SITRAPESCA - Sindicato do Trabalhadores das Empresas de Pesca de Santa Catarina

ARTISANAL FISHERMEN ASSOCIATION OF PARANÁ

Colônias de Pescadores do Litoral do Paraná

MEDICAL EXAMS:

Deborah Cristina Farchadi – Geneva- Switzerland

Patricia Piaskowy – Universidade Positivo/Paraná

SPECIAL THANKSSPECIAL THANKS

Thais C. MorataThais C. MorataNIOSH/ Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

REFERENCES

International Labour Office. Conditions of work in the fishing sector. Report V. 2004; 92nd Session. Geneva: International Labour Office.

ILO - http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techmeet/tmfi99/tmfir1.htm#Employment access in 02/04/2010

ILO - http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techmeet/tmfi99/

tmfir1.htm#Small-scale and artisanal fisherfolk access in 02/04/2010

Paini MC, Morata TC, Corteletti LJ, Albizu E, Marques JM, Santos L. Audiological findings among workers from Brazilian small scale fisheries. Ear and Hearing. 2009 Feb; 30 (1): 8-15.

QUESTIONS ?

evelyn.albizu@fundacentro.gov.brPhoto by Nicky Albizu