Effects of APU Noise on Employees on the Ramp

This study examined how the APU noise of an aircraft influences the work efficiency and stress of airport ramp workers. A survey of airport ramp workers was conducted and the results analyzed. In the demographic analysis, men outnumbered women accounting for 86% of the survey target and 80% of the respondents were found to be employees with less than 15 years of work experience. The occupational cluster of the total of 160 respondents included 41 aircraft maintenance workers, 70 ground staff (Cargo, Water and Waste services), 19 ramp coordinators, 18 ramp controllers and 12 catering Service workers. The ground staff were the most prevalent, constituting 44% of the occupational cluster. Regarding the APU noise, 74% of the respondents answered that the environment was "always noisy", while 26% answered that it was "sometimes noisy". 85% answered that they are sensitive to and put under stress by the APU noise, while the majority of the respondents answered that the APU noise degrades their work efficiency. In conclusion, this study examined the effect of APU noise on the work efficiency and stress of airport ramp workers by analyzing the survey data by Regression and Chi-square analysis.