金屬基本工業在工業發展中扮演著極為重要的角色，金屬基本工業包含了鍛造、鑄造、軋鋼、冶煉等重工業。據統計目前台灣共有328家鑄鐵廠，財政部統計處於2009年2月公佈之海關進出口貿易資料表示，2009年1月對外貿易額達213.4億元，顯示我國的金屬鑄造工業具有一定規模。
本研究針對鑄鐵業勞工，進行作業環境噪音、個人噪音暴露劑量及聽力閾值量測，並結合問卷調查之資料，以探討鑄鐵廠勞工之噪音暴露對聽力所造成的影響及關聯性。研究結果發現，暴露組之環境噪音均能音量(Leq)皆達85分貝以上，且較集中於250-2000 Hz之低中音頻噪音，噪音劑量(8小時)雖在我國法規之限制範圍內，但仍有聽力損失之虞須佩戴防音防護具；聽力量測方面於6000 Hz明顯呈現凹谷現象，此為噪音所引起之聽力損失之特徵。調整干擾因子後，於兩組間、年齡及身體質量指數方面有異常者，有較高的風險罹患聽力損失。建議雇主須定期實施勞工健康檢查及作業環境噪音測定，提供勞工教育訓練及確實佩戴防音防護具，以維護勞工健康。

Metal industry played a crucial role in the industrial development of Taiwan, including forging, casting, steel rolling, smelting operations. There were 328 local casting manufactures,and up to 21,340 million NT dollars turnover according to statistics of Ministry of Finance in
2009. Above all indicated metal industry was of middle scale.The study aimed for the hearing loss of casting manufacture workers by measuring sound levels of workplace, personal noise doses, hearing threshold, and questionnaire.The results showed the average equivalent energy sound level (Leq) was 85dB in exposed group, and the range of frequency noise distributed in 250-2000 Hz. Although the 8-hours personal noise doses of exposed group did not excess the regulation limit, the exposed workers
should wear the earmuff to protect from hearing loss. The results of hearing threshold showed notch in frequency noise 6000 Hz, was obvious characteristic of noise-induced hearing loss.After adjusted confounding factors, the questionnaire results illustrated age and BMI were higher risky factors of hearing loss.The study suggested that related exposed workers should execute period health examination,measurements of environment sound levels, providing workers training courses and wearing earmuff to prevent worker’s health hazard.