Analysis of Noise Pollution at Mechanical Coal Processing Plants

Abstract

This article presents the results of an analysis of noise hazards in coal mine preparation plants from 2003 to 2022. The incidence of occupational diseases in coal mining in general and in coal preparation plants and the incidence of occupational diseases caused by noise were analysed. The number of noise-prone workplaces in the preparation plants during the analysed period was also analysed. Due to dynamic organisational changes in the Polish coal mining in the analysed period, which resulted in a reduced number of mines, coal preparation plants, and thus the number of workplaces in these plants, as well as a decrease in coal extraction by almost 50%, an indicator for the assessment of the state of noise pollution at workplaces was proposed, related to the total volume of coal enriched in the preparation plants in the individual years. The lowest value of this indicator of 4.4 (1/mln Mg) was recorded in 2004 and the highest value of 8.6 (1/mln Mg) in 2022.