Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure and Hazard Profiling  in Local Sawmills and Rice Mills: Implications for Worker Safety in Jalingo Metropolis

Julius Thaddaeus; Solomon Ayuba; Emmanuel Okon Asukwo; Paul Okon Udom

doi:10.5455/NJEAS.311241

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NJEAS. 2026; 3(2):

doi: 10.5455/NJEAS.311241

Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure and Hazard Profiling in Local Sawmills and Rice Mills: Implications for Worker Safety in Jalingo Metropolis

Julius Thaddaeus, Solomon Ayuba, Emmanuel Okon Asukwo, Paul Okon Udom.

Abstract
This study assessed occupational noise hazards in selected sawmills and rice mills in Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria. Noise levels were measured across multiple operating hours over three consecutive days at each facility using a calibrated sound-level meter. To reflect the region’s 12-hour shifts, shift-adjusted permissible exposure limits (PELs) were calculated using the NIOSH 3 dB exchange rate. Findings indicate that noise exposure remains a major hazard in these small-scale processing industries. Gadanboboji Rice Mill recorded an average noise level of approximately 89 dB(A), exceeding the WHO limit of 85 dB(A). By comparison, New CBN Road Rice Mill and Muphido Rice Milling Company remained within acceptable limits. Among the six rice and sawmills assessed, five exceeded the adjusted PEL of 83.2 dB(A), with peak exposures ranging from 92.3 to 104.6 dB(A). Workers reported high rates of tinnitus, temporary threshold shifts, and difficulty hearing, along with non-auditory impacts such as stress and sleep disturbances. Engineering and administrative controls were largely absent, and only 25.5% of workers had access to personal protective equipment. Novel aspects of this study include shift-adjusted exposure assessment, temporal noise mapping, and an integrated evaluation of exposure, health outcomes, and governance gaps. The results highlight the urgent need for low-cost, context-appropriate interventions to mitigate noise-induced health risks in Jalingo’s small-scale sawmilling and rice-milling industries.

Key words: Occupational noise, sawmills, noise-induced hearing loss, exposure assessment, informal-sector industries, NIOSH exchange rate

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Pubmed Style

Thaddaeus J, Ayuba S, Asukwo EO, Udom PO. Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure and Hazard Profiling in Local Sawmills and Rice Mills: Implications for Worker Safety in Jalingo Metropolis. NJEAS. 2026; 3(2): -. doi:10.5455/NJEAS.311241

Web Style

Thaddaeus J, Ayuba S, Asukwo EO, Udom PO. Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure and Hazard Profiling in Local Sawmills and Rice Mills: Implications for Worker Safety in Jalingo Metropolis. https:///?mno=311241 [Access: August 25, 2026]. doi:10.5455/NJEAS.311241

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Thaddaeus J, Ayuba S, Asukwo EO, Udom PO. Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure and Hazard Profiling in Local Sawmills and Rice Mills: Implications for Worker Safety in Jalingo Metropolis. NJEAS. 2026; 3(2): -. doi:10.5455/NJEAS.311241

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Harvard Style

Thaddaeus, J., Ayuba, . S., Asukwo, . E. O. & Udom, . P. O. (2026) Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure and Hazard Profiling in Local Sawmills and Rice Mills: Implications for Worker Safety in Jalingo Metropolis. NJEAS, 3 (2), -. doi:10.5455/NJEAS.311241

Turabian Style

Thaddaeus, Julius, Solomon Ayuba, Emmanuel Okon Asukwo, and Paul Okon Udom. 2026. Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure and Hazard Profiling in Local Sawmills and Rice Mills: Implications for Worker Safety in Jalingo Metropolis. Nile Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, 3 (2), -. doi:10.5455/NJEAS.311241

Chicago Style

Thaddaeus, Julius, Solomon Ayuba, Emmanuel Okon Asukwo, and Paul Okon Udom. "Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure and Hazard Profiling in Local Sawmills and Rice Mills: Implications for Worker Safety in Jalingo Metropolis." Nile Journal of Engineering and Applied Science 3 (2026), -. doi:10.5455/NJEAS.311241

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APA (American Psychological Association) Style

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About Nile Journal of Engineering and Applied Science The Nile Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences publishes original peer-reviewed articles on fundamental and applied research and reviews ... Read more. For best results, please use Internet Explorer or Google Chrome.	Contact Information 1. Prof. Abdulhameed Danjuma Mambo Editor-in-Chief abdulhameed.mambo@nileuniversity.edu.ng 2. Dr. Adekunle Adeleke Associate Editor-in-Chief adekunle.adeleke@nileuniversity.edu.ng 3. Dr. Ifeyinwa Obianyo Managing Editor ifeyinwa.obianyo@nileuniversity.edu.ng