The adverse impacts on health and well-being, caused by exposure to noise pollution extend beyond only ear damage. These effects — regarded as non-auditory in nature — include annoyance, sleep disturbance, irritability, decreased concentration, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment in children, and even depression on a psychological level. A study titled, ‘Non-auditory and Auditory Impact of Daily Noise Exposure on Traffic Policemen in Chandigarh’, by PGIMER’s professor Ravindra Khaiwal, the lead investigator of the research, along with Dr Avinash Shroff and Dr Suman Mor, published in the Indian Journal of Public Health, investigates the non-auditory and auditory effects of daily noise exposure on traffic policemen in Chandigarh. Using a cross-sectional design, the study compared 100 traffic policemen exposed to noise pollution with a control group of as many policemen working in quieter office settings. “There were approximately 422 traffic policemen stationed at various junctions and police stations across Chandigarh, and a total of 200 policemen (100 from each group) were selected from the police department of Chandigarh,” Dr Khaiwal, Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, says. The professor highlights that traffic personnel reported five major non-auditory effects — headache, sleep loss, irritation, hypertension, and stress, with stress being the most common. He adds stress affect over 80 per cent of traffic personnel and 60 per cent of general ones. “The Chi-square test showed a statistically significant association between stress and irritation among traffic policemen compared to their office-based counterparts. Self-assessment of auditory effects revealed that 56 per cent of traffic policemen experienced symptoms of tinnitus (condition of hearing noises that do not come from an outside source), compared to 29 per cent of general policemen,” Khaiwal explains. Diurnal noise levels (that occurs during daytime) at various traffic junctions in Chandigarh were the highest near the Airport Light Point junction (79.9-78.8 dB) and the lowest at the Sukhna Lake entry point (72.0-69.89 dB). Average noise levels across all locations ranged from 76.04 to 75.30 dB, both during peak and non-peak hours, well above the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 65 dB for traffic areas. The study found that most traffic policemen were unaware of the harmful effects of noise pollution and did not consider it an occupational hazard. High environmental noise is a pervasive pollutant that negatively impacts the quality of life, a result of more vehicles on the road and traffic congestion. The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness has recognised hearing loss as the most common sensory impairment in humans. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health guidelines, the permissible noise level is 85 dB (A), exposure above this threshold may lead to hearing impairment. “Traffic policemen, who are constantly exposed to high noise levels while managing traffic, are considered a high-risk group for noise pollution. Chandigarh has the highest vehicular density in India, i.e. 4400 vehicles/km, almost twice that of Delhi. As part of the study, noise levels were assessed at 11 major traffic junctions in Chandigarh, and noise levels were recorded for at least 30 min during both peak and non-peak hours, with measurements taken twice at each location,” Khaiwal adds. In Chandigarh, noise levels at traffic junctions during peak hours ranged from 72 to 79.89 dB, exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) recommended limit of 65 dB for traffic areas. The study revealed that 96 per cent of traffic policemen spend more than 10 hours daily in a noisy environment, compared to 69 per cent of their general counterparts. “Despite this, most policemen did not use personnel protective measures, such as earplugs or earmuffs, to protect themselves from noise pollution.” The findings of this study emphasise that noise pollution is a significant contributor to stress, irritation, and hypertension among traffic policemen. Long-term noise exposure to noise can lead to various adverse effects, including stress. Chronic exposure to environmental noise has been linked to a range of non-auditory health effects, including sleep disturbance, headaches, irritation, hypertension, stress, cardiovascular disease, endocrine effects, and an increased risk of diabetes. Noise exposure can induce a stress response, releasing hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Long-term exposure can disrupt endocrine functions, impair the immune system, and lead to metabolic changes. In addition, it can cause vasoconstriction, raise blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and heart attacks. “Important protective measures include regular medical check-ups, a duty rotation scheme, noise source regulation, fine imposition on violators such as those using pressure horns or modified silencers and recognising long-term health risks of noise pollution,” Khaiwal sums up.
