ABSTRACT
The study involved measurements and analyses of noise levels and doses for 14 weeks in setraco quarry ugwuele uturu. The quarry site were divided into three zones, more noise zone (A), medium noise zone (B) and less noise zone (C). The site has about 60-100 workers in different sections of the quarry. Noise dosemeter and noise level meter was used to for the data collected and an Arc-GIS for data analyses which showed the distribution of noise levels in the quarry area. The maximum sound distribution pattern (SD%) is 117.5 SD% which is at the blasting/drilling point while the minimum sound distribution pattern (SD %) is 39.6 SD% which is at the nearest settlement close to the quarrying area. The measured maximum noise levels Lmax were as high as 117.5 dB(A) at the blasting/drilling sites. Noise levels at the facades of the houses in the community and administrative building and noise exposure levels range from 96.0 to 69.8 dB(A), respectively. Most of these results showed an elevation over the control and standard limits with respect to noise levels. These elevations could be attributed to the quarrying activities. Therefore, these quarry workers ought to be protected to avoid much occupation hazard. Longtime exposure to noise sources from the zone A and B will affect the workers psychologically, physically and mentally if strict control measures is not implemented. Workers and individual within zone (C) are mainly affected by noise from vehicular movement and less from other sources of noise from the quarry.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover page Pages
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables vii
List of Figures viii
Abstract x
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1
Quarry and Pollution 1
1.2
Background of Study 2
1.3
Aim 3
1.4
Objectives 3
1.5
Justification of Study 4
1.6
Significance of the Study 4
1.7 Scope of
the Study 4
1.8 Study
Area 5
CHAPTER
2: LITERATURE REVIEW 9
2.1 Noise at
the Human Ear 9
2.2 Principles
of Industrial Noise Control 17
2.3 Noise
Sources From Quarry 21
2.3.1
Control of Noise Sources in a Quarry 21
2.3.2
Lex 22
2.4 Review
of Previous Literatures 23
CHAPTER 3: MATERIALS
AND METHOD 38
3.1Materials 38
3.1.1
The Noise Level Meter 38
3.1.2 Noise Pro Dosemeter ` ` 39
3.1.3
Calibrator 41
3.2 Research
Methods 41
3.2.1
Noise Level Measurements 43
3.3 Analysis 44
3.3.1
Statistical Analysis 45
3.3.2
Data Development 46
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION 48
4.1
Results 48
4.2 Discussion 60
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATION 62
5.1 Conclusion 62
5.2 Recommendation 62
5.3 Suggestions
for Further Work 63
References 64
LIST OF TABLES
2.1: Table of leq,lex, time and noise dose 23
3.1: Table of types and number of machinery
provided by quarry management 44
4.1: Measurement of permissible noise levels
in different types of location 48
4.2: Vehicles movement measurement (dBA) 49
4.3: Measurement of noise levels at the
nearest community house at facades (dBA) 49
4.4: Measurement of noise levels at the
crushing point (dBA) 50
4.5: measurement of noise level at the
blasting /drilling point 50
4.6: Measurement of noise dose at the blasting
department 51
4.7: Measurement of noise dose at the fueling
department 51
4.8: Measurement of noise dose at the weighing
department 52
4.9: Measurement of noise dose at the workshop
department 52
4.10: Measurement of noise dose at the store
department 53
4.11: Measurement of noise dose at the health
and safety department 53
4.12: Measurement of noise dose at the clinic
department 54
4.13: Measurement of noise dose at the
administration department 54
LIST OF FIGURES
1: Map of Setraco
quarry as analyzed by the Arc-GIS. 5
2 Sketch of
Setraco quarry in Ugwuele, Uturu 7
3 Diagram of a
sound level meter 39
4 Diagram of a
noise dosemeter 40
5 Pictures of the
major sectors of the quarry 42
6 Graph of sound
distribution pattern (%) against Time 55
7 Graph of maximum
and minimum noise level at the blasting department
(at
facades) 55
8 Graph of noise
levels at the fuelling department for windows closed and open 56
9 Graph of noise
levels at the weighing department for window closed and open 56
10 Graph of noise
levels at the workshop department for window closed and open 57
11 Graph of noise
levels at the store department for window closed and open 57
12 Graph of noise
levels at the HSE department for window closed and open 58
13 Graph of noise
levels at the clinic department for window closed and open 58
14 Graph of noise
levels at the administration department for window closed
and
opened 59
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
QUARRY AND NOISE POLLUTION
Quarrying is the process of extracting,
removing and disposing quarry resources found on or underneath the surface of a
private or public land. It serves as a source raw materials to sand and gravel
industry when crushed into small particles. Different quarrying activities have
different impacts on the environment like air pollution, industrial noise and
emission of greenhouse gases. The most common effect of quarrying is noise
pollution (Babatunde et al., 2003).
Noise pollution in stone quarry industry
is one of the environmental problems penetrating all corners and areas of
working environment in quarry industry. There are activities, which have led to
high noise levels in quarrying industry like; blasting, drilling, crushing,
heavy machineries, and vehicle movements. The intensity of noise within the
industry and workplace in general is rising continuously and causing severe nuisance
in the immediate surrounding and to the people working and living within the
sited quarrying industry (Babatude et al.,
2003). Noise pollution is any sound, which is undesirable, unpleasant and
objectionable to human health.
Noise can superimpose with communication,
affects concentration, reduced efficiency and petulance. Increase blood
pressure and also effects communities close to the plants. The noise which
varies depending on the level, source and characteristics, (Onuu and Tawo,
2005).
1.2
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Different aspects of the working environment could expose an
individual to potential hazards. Noise is considered as one of these hazards
and it is at present viewed as a global health issue. Noise, which is defined
as vexatious sounds, is a share of the everyday human activity. Excessive noise
above the tolerated levels from all the sources of noise is hazardous and could
cause hearing deficiency. This is a pervasive occupational hazard, which could
lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Other concomitant health effects
include; temporary threshold shift (TTS), high blood pressure, and stress.
Exposure to excess noise is viewed as a rise in the
threshold of hearing (threshold shift), as evaluate by audiometry. This is explained
as a change in hearing thresholds of an average 10 dB or more at 2000, 3000,
and 4000 Hz in either ear (poorer hearing). There are two types of NIHL, a
transient threshold shift, which is a temporary loss of hearing, and a
permanent threshold shift, which is a shift in the person’s ability to hear soft
sounds. This is caused by long-term exposure to loud sounds of lower intensity,
like noise from machineries or very loud music.
Noise is preceded with almost every work activity; some
activities are associated with particularly high levels of noise. Usually, sounds
above 85 dB are regarded as harmful; depending on the time scale and how often
one is exposed to them and whether you wear hearing (Lindberg and Humphrey,
2008). Former literature present that workers in quarries, sawmills, mines,
textile factors, and many others work with machines that produces noise much
higher than the tolerated levels and therefore expose workers to potential
hearing loss (Enyinna and Onwuka, 2014). In the large coal industry, about 76%
are exposed to hazardous noise. This results in about 25% of hearing impairment
and about 80% of other significant health issues such as high blood pressure in
the workers’ retirement age (Coles, 1980). Although the situation has improved
in developed countries as a result of more widespread appreciation of the
hazard and the institution of protective measures, evidence (Enyinna and
Onwuka, 2014). Increasing industrialization might exacerbate this situation in
developing countries and therefore the need to assess the industrial noise
pollution and its impact on workers in such areas (Lindberg and Humphrey,
2008).
1.3 AIM
The aim of this study is to measure and analyze
noise levels and doses at sampling points at Setraco Quarry in Ugwuele Uturu,
Isuikwuato Local Government Area, Abia State and using a personal noise
dosemeter (Noise Pro dosesmeter) and integreted noise level meter (C-100
precision 734) to explain the noise level associated each location in the
quarry.
1.4
OBJECTIVES
The
objectives of this investigation are:
1.
To measure noise
pollution generated at selected points of the quarry site using handheld noise
meter and dosemeter.
2.
To compare the measured
value noise pollution with the World Health Organization (WHO) set standard or
limits.
3.
To calculate the amount
of noise generated for a selected period of time.
4.
To statistically analyze
the measured values collected using the two measuring instruments from the
three sampling points.
1.5
JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
Quarry activities began in Nigeria in the
late 1960’s and has been on the increase since then. Quarry present an array of environmental problems
which include loss of lives and properties, dust and noise pollution, siltation
of rivers, excessive surface run-off and flooding, environmental hazard such as
these pose future to our environment (Nduka and Nelson, 2003).
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of the study is to create
awareness and proffer possible solutions to the problems of noise pollution,
the major areas where noise level is very high, medium and low in major quarry communities.
This work will add to the numerous reference material for any future research
in industrial noise in other quarries. Finally it will also help government
authorities concerned with environmental management to develop action plans
aimed at curtailing excess noise in quarrying in our environment.
1.7
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study includes the
measurement of noise pollution at a selected location at Setraco quarry site in
Uturu, namely; crushing site, blasting/drilling area, during transportation and
inside the village during, morning, afternoon, and evening hours of the day.
These measurements were taken for 14 weeks
using a Noise Pro dosemeter and a handheld C-100-noise level meter. These
meters measure the amount of time an individual is exposed to high noise
sources and the amount of noise (dB(A)) exposed to respectively. Analysis and
discussion were made based on the measurements obtained.
1.8
STUDY AREA
This
research was conducted at Setraco Nigeria Limited, located at Ugwuele in Uturu,
Abia State. Uturu is located within South-eastern savanna belt, within latitude
05.33⁰N
and 06.03⁰N,
and longitude of 10⁰E
and 07.29⁰E.
Bounded on the west and south by hills and valleys (Chiemeka, 2007).
Figure 1: Map of Setraco
quarry as analyzed by the Arc-GIS.
Uturu, is one of the communities that makeup
settlement in Mbalano Isuikwuato Local Government Area. Uturu is divided into
two regions, Ihite and Ikeagha. Ihite comprises of Achara and Mba-ugwu
(Ugwu-ogu, Ugwu-Ele, Ngodo Amegu, Obi-Agu, Nnembi and Aro). Ikeagha comprises
of Isunabo, Akpupka, Umumara, Umuayim, Nvurunvu, and Ndundu. There is a lake
called uta, and Pristine Stream called igwii which abounds with Goldfish,
Sardines etc. With its mangrove forest, these sites can be accessed through
farm settlement established in the 1960’s. Its road flanks off Abia state
University to isuikwuato road just about 15km away. Vegetation around Uturu
consists mainly of grasses and shrubs. The landscape is mostly covered with
closed to open broad leaved evergreen or semi-deciduous forest. The climate is
classified as tropical monsoon (short dry season, monsoon rains other months).
The wet season has a rainfall peak around August. The dry season starts around
the month of January. The temperature at the earth surface fluctuates
constantly, it is high during the day and low at night, it varies within the
season and with depth (Ekechukwu, 2010).
Figure
2: Sketch of Setraoco quarry in Ugwuele, Uturu.
These
meteorological temperature changes mainly depend on the heat from the sun. The
soil geology in Uturu is high in aerosols, plinth sols, acid soil with clay
enriched lower horizon and lower saturation of bases. Near to Uturu is the
archeological site of Ugwuele, in which was found a huge collection of
stone-age implements, suggesting that the site was a major factor for such
tools (Ian and Robert, 1999) for the purpose of this study; Ugwuele quarry mining community
was chosen.
Click “DOWNLOAD NOW” below to get the complete Projects
FOR QUICK HELP CHAT WITH US NOW!
+(234) 0814 780 1594
Login To Comment