Desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta de baixo custo para avaliação da exposição ocupacional ao ruído na sonorização de eventos e espetáculos musicais

Abstract

The event sound reinforcement market has proven to be significant and is growing rapidly in Brazil. This increases the number of direct and indirect job openings and requires companies to be more rigorous in enforcing safety, health, and environmental standards. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a low-cost prototype for assessing occupational noise exposure at events and musical performances, for occupational management and monitoring purposes. The methodology used was experimental research, with both controlled trials and field tests in real-world situations, where measurements taken by the developed system were compared with those from a commercial dosimeter widely used in the Brazilian market. The developed system uses a set of equipment commonly available in sound reinforcement companies, consisting of a laptop, an external USB audio interface, a measurement microphone, and a portable sound calibrator. The result is software capable of transforming this set of equipment not only into a noise dosimeter but also into a tool for occupational noise management. The cost was significantly lower than a commercial dosimeter, even taking into account the acquisition of the aforementioned equipment. It is concluded that the measurement system proposed in this work can contribute significantly to occupational health and safety management, facilitating compliance with current regulations.