An Investigation into the Health Risks Associated with the Noise and Vibrations on Board of a Boat—A Case Study on the Danube River
This paper studies the noise and vibrations transmitted to the crew of a pusher with eight barges sailing upstream the Danube River, between Cernavoda and Drobeta, with a staff consisting of a captain, one coxswain, one mechanic and three sailors. The research was conducted over a one-week period in...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-08-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/7/8/258 |
| _version_ | 1818616878907523072 |
|---|---|
| author | Laurentiu Picu Mihaela Picu Eugen Rusu |
| author_facet | Laurentiu Picu Mihaela Picu Eugen Rusu |
| author_sort | Laurentiu Picu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper studies the noise and vibrations transmitted to the crew of a pusher with eight barges sailing upstream the Danube River, between Cernavoda and Drobeta, with a staff consisting of a captain, one coxswain, one mechanic and three sailors. The research was conducted over a one-week period in August 2018. The navigation time was 24/24 h and the seafarers’ schedule was 4/8. Determinations were made on three different workers: Coxswain, mechanic and sailor. The meteorological parameters and the Danube river levels, the sound level and the transmitted vibrations, as well as the body temperature and blood pressure of the subjects were measured. The periods of activity and sleep were analyzed by means of an actigraph. Our research findings indicate that people worked overtime, slept less than necessary and, generally, did not observe the official program. The noise (L<sub>EP,d</sub> = 92 dB) and vibration levels (a total exposure A(8) = 4.1 m/s<sup>2</sup>) also contributed to the sleep disorder. Such effects were accompanied by increased body temperature and blood pressure. Synthesizing, it can be concluded that: The peak (acrophase) of the work capacity was from 9:00 to 11:00 and from 17:00 to 19:00, which represent the maximum efficiency periods. More specifically, the highest mental performances were recorded in the morning, while the maximum physical ones were to be seen in the afternoon. The minimum efficiency period was from 13:00 to 15:00. Decreases in the work capacity were identified at 23:00 (reasonably low level) and 3:00 (extremely low level). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:56:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1e1e13e41881469c800fb5d2662ca8a6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:56:48Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-1e1e13e41881469c800fb5d2662ca8a62022-12-21T22:23:52ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122019-08-017825810.3390/jmse7080258jmse7080258An Investigation into the Health Risks Associated with the Noise and Vibrations on Board of a Boat—A Case Study on the Danube RiverLaurentiu Picu0Mihaela Picu1Eugen Rusu2Department of Environment, Applied Engineering and Agriculture, Faculty of Engineering and Agronomy in Braila, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 47 Domneasca Street, 800008 Galati, RomaniaDepartment of Environment, Applied Engineering and Agriculture, Faculty of Engineering and Agronomy in Braila, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 47 Domneasca Street, 800008 Galati, RomaniaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 47 Domneasca Street, 800008 Galati, RomaniaThis paper studies the noise and vibrations transmitted to the crew of a pusher with eight barges sailing upstream the Danube River, between Cernavoda and Drobeta, with a staff consisting of a captain, one coxswain, one mechanic and three sailors. The research was conducted over a one-week period in August 2018. The navigation time was 24/24 h and the seafarers’ schedule was 4/8. Determinations were made on three different workers: Coxswain, mechanic and sailor. The meteorological parameters and the Danube river levels, the sound level and the transmitted vibrations, as well as the body temperature and blood pressure of the subjects were measured. The periods of activity and sleep were analyzed by means of an actigraph. Our research findings indicate that people worked overtime, slept less than necessary and, generally, did not observe the official program. The noise (L<sub>EP,d</sub> = 92 dB) and vibration levels (a total exposure A(8) = 4.1 m/s<sup>2</sup>) also contributed to the sleep disorder. Such effects were accompanied by increased body temperature and blood pressure. Synthesizing, it can be concluded that: The peak (acrophase) of the work capacity was from 9:00 to 11:00 and from 17:00 to 19:00, which represent the maximum efficiency periods. More specifically, the highest mental performances were recorded in the morning, while the maximum physical ones were to be seen in the afternoon. The minimum efficiency period was from 13:00 to 15:00. Decreases in the work capacity were identified at 23:00 (reasonably low level) and 3:00 (extremely low level).https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/7/8/258noisevibrationsshift workriver shipsDanube |
| spellingShingle | Laurentiu Picu Mihaela Picu Eugen Rusu An Investigation into the Health Risks Associated with the Noise and Vibrations on Board of a Boat—A Case Study on the Danube River Journal of Marine Science and Engineering noise vibrations shift work river ships Danube |
| title | An Investigation into the Health Risks Associated with the Noise and Vibrations on Board of a Boat—A Case Study on the Danube River |
| title_full | An Investigation into the Health Risks Associated with the Noise and Vibrations on Board of a Boat—A Case Study on the Danube River |
| title_fullStr | An Investigation into the Health Risks Associated with the Noise and Vibrations on Board of a Boat—A Case Study on the Danube River |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Investigation into the Health Risks Associated with the Noise and Vibrations on Board of a Boat—A Case Study on the Danube River |
| title_short | An Investigation into the Health Risks Associated with the Noise and Vibrations on Board of a Boat—A Case Study on the Danube River |
| title_sort | investigation into the health risks associated with the noise and vibrations on board of a boat a case study on the danube river |
| topic | noise vibrations shift work river ships Danube |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/7/8/258 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT laurentiupicu aninvestigationintothehealthrisksassociatedwiththenoiseandvibrationsonboardofaboatacasestudyonthedanuberiver AT mihaelapicu aninvestigationintothehealthrisksassociatedwiththenoiseandvibrationsonboardofaboatacasestudyonthedanuberiver AT eugenrusu aninvestigationintothehealthrisksassociatedwiththenoiseandvibrationsonboardofaboatacasestudyonthedanuberiver AT laurentiupicu investigationintothehealthrisksassociatedwiththenoiseandvibrationsonboardofaboatacasestudyonthedanuberiver AT mihaelapicu investigationintothehealthrisksassociatedwiththenoiseandvibrationsonboardofaboatacasestudyonthedanuberiver AT eugenrusu investigationintothehealthrisksassociatedwiththenoiseandvibrationsonboardofaboatacasestudyonthedanuberiver |