This study endeavors efforts were therefore made to evaluate and compare the noise levels generated during agricultural operations, ranging from the plowing stage through to the harvest, so that the appropriate to be therefore able to conduct the risk analyses be made in real-life field conditions to determine exactly what machine operators are subjected to during an entire cultivation process. The machinery used in the tests consisted of: a 73 hp tractor, a plow, disk grader, artificial manure and lime spreader, crop sprayer and harvester. The tests were conducted with the tractor towing each implement at varying speeds and in different operations with the engine running at 1700 rpm. The harvester was also operated using different forward gear speeds. The noise levels recorded on both the operator's right and left-hand sides were very high in relation to the average noise levels and exceeded the stipulated limits, causing much operator discomfort. The harvester generated the most operator discomfort, with little difference between when in motion and when not in motion. Both the tractor and the harvester when not in motion generated noise levels far higher than the stipulated minimum levels, presenting thereby a risk not only to the operator but also to whoever was close by.
Noise Level; Agricultural Machinery
