DEGRADATION OF INDUSTRIAL PERFORMANCE DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS “IMPACT OF NOISE ON MINING AND MANUFACTURING WORKERS”

The present research explores the effects of noise on industrial workers of mining industry in Jazan/Najran region and workers in cement factory in Jazan Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Current industry reports suggest that workers are less productive in areas of high noise when compared to similar jobs in quiet work areas. Moreover, it is also personally damaging. Not much work has been done in this country. The present work aims at three main dimensions. Dimension 1 explores the level of noise in the mining and mineral extraction units; and in the various units of the cement factory, both located in the Jazan region; Dimension 2 investigates its effect on the performance; while Dimension 3 inspects the impact on the behavior of the workers. The effects of noise were studied through two indigenously designed inventory instruments administered to about 65 workers; but only 44 responded. Two hypotheses were formulated and were found not true. In the first case, the noise effects for which data was collected and analyzed were eight in number. It was found that while five effects were significantly related to noise which may lead to changes in behavior and performance; three other effects were insignificantly related. In the second case, data on the occurrence of thirteen episodes relating to impact of noise were also determined through the second instrument, and analyzed. Nine of the episodes reveal a deeper malaise and needs attention to be focused on correction for the welfare of the workers