Noise exposure among teachers in technology educational shops in selected British Columbia, Canada, high schools

Abstract

Teachers in technology education shops (TESs) in high schools are at risk from exposure to occupational hazards, including physical work demands and chemicals, particulate matter and noise, as well as non-optimal working conditions negatively affected by temperature, humidity, and lighting. This study evaluated the exposure to noise of 17 TES teachers working in 17 wood-working, metal-working, and automotive shops in selected high schools in British Columbia, Canada, and examined the quality of the acoustical teaching environments due to background noise. This study characterized noise control measures in the sampled TESs and observed the safety practices of teachers during TES classes. The results of this investigation indicated that almost 60% of the participating teachers were exposed to unacceptable levels of noise during teaching and working in TESs. It also showed that TES acoustical environmental quality was adversely affected by high background noise levels due to poor room designs and settings. Practical recommendations were provided to reduce and control the exposure to noise in TESs and to enhance the quality of health, safety, and quality of teaching environment in these TESs.

Keywords:

• Noise
• occupational exposure
• teachers’ exposure to noise
• technology educational shops

Acknowledgments

This paper is dedicated to the late Professor Murray Hodgson, our dear colleague and mentor, who passed away in August 2017. Professor Hodgson was passionate about the impact of noise on people—their health and wellbeing, their ability to communicate and to develop and learn. Murray’s work will have a lasting impact, through his design consultations, his published research, and dozens of graduate students who he supervised, including AS, whose Ph.D. thesis forms the basis of this paper. Our deepest gratitude and respect go to the memory of Professor Murray Hodgson.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the school districts in British Columbia, Canada. The research was funded by WorkSafeBC. It was financially supported by King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.