Three million employees reported being exposed to noise above 85dB (A) in France in 2003 (SUMER Report).
Extract of the study SUMER 2003
| Economic sector | Employees exposed to noise > 85dB (A) for more than 20 hours / week | Including those without personal hearing protectors |
|---|---|---|
| Pulp and paper industry | 37,4% | 18,1% |
| Metallurgy and metallurgical processes | 33,3% | 20,4% |
| Mineral products industry | 26,3% | 14,1% |
| Automobile industry | 21,1% | 18,6% |
| Mechanical equipment industry | 21,0% | 20,3% |
| Textile industry | 20,0% | 28,2% |
| Agriculture and food industry | 18,2% | 26,1% |
| Chemicals, rubber, plastics | 16,9% | 23,7% |
| Industry of household equipment | 16,1% | 17,8% |
| Agriculture, silviculture, and fishing | 13,0% | 32,9% |
| Shipbuilding, aerospace, and railway | 13,0% | 27,5% |
| Construction | 11,5% | 29,5% |
| Clothing, leather | 10,5% | NS |
| Publishing, printing, and reproduction | 10,4% | 39,3% |
| Operational services | 10,2% | 40,0% |
| Automotive sales and repairs | 9,4% | 49,7% |
| Electrical and electronic components | 8,5% | NS |
| Pharmacy, perfumery, and personal care | 7,6% | NS |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 3,9% | NS |
| Wholesale trade | 3,9% | 49,4% |
| Transport | 3,3% | 66,2% |
| Recreational, cultural, and sports activities | 2,2% | NS |
| Water, gas, electricity | 2,1% | 25,5% |
| Hotels and restaurants | 2,0% | NS |
| Personal and household services | 1,9% | NS |
| Health, social welfare | 1,3% | 59,1% |
| Research and development | 1,2% | NS |
| Education | 1,0% | NS |
| Guidance and support | 0,7% | NS |
| Public administration | 0,7% | NS |
| Associative and offshore activities | 0,6% | NS |
| Retail trade, repairs | 0,5% | NS |
| Real estate | 0,5% | NS |
| Financial activities | 0,3% | NS |
| Post and telecommunications | 0,1% | NS |
| Together | 6,8% | 32,0% |
| NS : Not Significant | ||
One in three employees exposed to sound intensities > 85dB (A) are not protected.
The 2003 SUMER report indicates that nearly 7% of employees are exposed to noise levels above 85dB (A) for longer than 20 hours/week.
In industries, 77% of employees exposed are provided with hearing protection. 71% are in construction and 67% in agriculture. However, in the tertiary sector which is less affected by harmful noise, more than half of employees exposed to noise are not protected.
Graph 1 : Nearly six out of ten employees exposed to harmful noise work in industries