title: The effects of cleanroom noise intensity and frequency on physiological measures and subjective responses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Workplace noise exposure gains growing attention in high tech industry.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the noise effect on physiological and subjective responses in semiconductor manufacturing clean room environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty subjects including 10 males and 10 females completed all phases of the experiment. Each subject was asked to participate in four treatment combinations of two noise intensities [65 dB(A) and 80 dB(A)] × two frequency levels [high and low]. For each treatment condition, the subject was exposed to the specified noise condition in a sound proof cabin for one hour. The physiological measures included blood pressure and heart rate. The subjective measures included noise sensitivity, fatigue and annoyance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ANOVA results indicate that long-time noise exposure caused significant increase in blood pressure (p< 0.001). Furthermore, the noise intensity by time interaction effect was found to be significant on annoyance and fatigue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that prolonged exposure to noise intensity at 80 dB(A) would result in a significant increase in physiological cost and subjective discomfort feeling. Thus, some countermeasures should be taken to reduce noise exposure and to promote health, and quality of working life.
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood / Q000502:physiology; D008144:Loudness Perception; D008297:Male; D066192:Manufacturing Industry; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012666:Semiconductors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Noise exposure; annoyance; blood pressure; exposure time; fatigue; heart rate; semiconductor manufacturing