Occupational exposure to noise and infrasonic noise of crews of inland waterway vessels

Ships, including inland waterway vessels, are special places to work for two main reasons: they operate in an unusual environment and they are characterised by limited space. Therefore, the working conditions on inland waterway vessels are specific. The safety of the crews of these vessels is influenced by, inter alia, hazards related to the operation of vessels and the movement of other vessels, as well as weather conditions. According to literature data, noise and mechanical vibrations dominate in the group of negative factors of the working environment on vessels. As part of the project, which aims to carry out a comprehensive assessment of environmental hazards and nuisances on selected vessels, research on working conditions on inland waterway vessels was carried out. These researches included measurements and evaluation of physical environmental factors, including noise and infrasonic noise, on the following types of inland waterway vessels: police boats, rescue boats, pushers and tourist vessels. The highest noise levels were recorded in the engine room on pushers. The measured equivalent A-weighted sound pressure levels in these rooms were in the range of 101.1 to 102.2 dB(A). On the other hand, the lowest noise levels were recorded at helmsman's workstations in control cabins on tourist vessels. The measured equivalent A-weighted sound pressure levels at these workplaces ranged from 59.2 to 61.1 dB(A). The article presents detailed results of measurements and assessment of noise and infrasonic noise on the tested inland waterway vessels.