Modern approaches to the hygienic characteristics of noise at the workplace (literature review)

The high medical and social significance of noise makes it relevant to develop measures for health risk management, including hygienic assessment of exposure, regulation of exposure levels at the workplace, and occupational risk assessment. There has been conducted a comparative analysis of modern approaches adopted in the Russian Federation and those proposed by international and national organizations, including the ILO, regarding hygienic criteria and standards for noise exposure, methods of occupational risk assessment, and hygienic criteria for establishing the relationship between disease and occupation. A high degree of harmonization has been established regarding the criteria used for the occupational noise exposure assessment. The exposure limit value for the 8-hour time-weighted average sound level established in the Russian Federation is among the lowest in the world, which is a factor contributing to the early implementation of hearing conservation programs, as well as engineering and managerial measures, and to the reduction of risks of occupational hearing loss. A priori occupational risk assessment based on noise levels is an important tool for predicting the likelihood of hearing loss, but models must be verified using modern epidemiological data that provide a posteriori probabilities and risk estimates. The criteria for establishing the relationship between disease and occupation adopted in the Russian Federation are more stringent and include the requirement of exceeding the exposure limit value for noise, as well as a longer work tenure of more than 10 years.

Conclusion. Despite differences in regulations, occupational noise assessment is based on common principles. With the emergence of new data, there is a need to revise the list of parameters, considering the temporal structure of noise, exchange rates, action levels, and refining a priori risk assessment models. An effective system for exposure assessment is a key tool for managing occupational risks.

Contribution:
Bukhtiyarov I.V. – the concept and design of the study, writing text;
Fatkhudinova L.M. – the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, writing text;
Amiron N.Kh. – the concept and design of the study, writing text.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: February 19, 2026 / Revised: April 20, 2026 / Accepted: June 18, 2026 / Published: July 31, 2026

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