A Descriptive Study of the Noise Exposure Among P-hailing Riders in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
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Abstract
Introduction: P-hailing delivery services in Malaysia have increased after the Covid-19 pandemic. National statistics show a high number of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss cases, urging closer attention to occupational noise exposure in this sector. This study focuses on noise exposure among p-hailing riders specifically among food delivery services in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia, to better manage the noise risks in the gig economy. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 30 p-hailing riders aged 20-49 years old around Kuantan areas. Each subject was interviewed using two questionnaires taken from the Industry Code of Practices from the Department of Occupational and Safety Health, Malaysia. One was for the identification of excessive noise at work, and the other was a questionnaire form administered before audiometric testing. Then, each of them underwent a hearing screening assessment, noise source measurement, and personal noise monitoring. Results: 73.3% of the p-hailing riders are exposed to excessive noise and personal noise monitoring revealed that 43.3% of p-hailing riders were exposed to excessive noise with an average of 88.7 dBA of LEX,8H, and noise dosage of 254.1% DoseTe. 61.5% of subjects with hearing loss have no previous history of working in a noisy environment, which could be the result of working as p-hailing riders. The noise emitted from the exhaust of the motorcycle was on average found to be 87.3 dB(A). Conclusion: This pilot study serves as a timely trigger for the stakeholders to mitigate the risks of noise-induced hearing loss while advocating hearing protection in this community.
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