Exposure to Noise and Vibration of Vocational Education Training Teachers

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In the field of vocational education, where teachers work in laboratories and workshops, there are also risks related to the high level of noise and vibration caused by the machines used there. There is a lack of studies analyzing the exposure of teachers in vocational education and training centers to these risks. The presented study analyzed the exposure to noise and vibration of teachers of the cycle of vocational education and training in the field of bodywork. During the analyzed tasks, high noise and vibration values were detected, which reach or exceed the values allowed by legislation. Based on this, further studies are needed for this sector of teaching staff, as well as measures to minimize the consequences of such exposure, which can lead to occupational diseases. These measures include the provision of sufficient personal protective equipment appropriate to the tasks they perform and regular medical examinations of hearing function and audiometric monitoring of teachers working in these workshops.

I have studied the submitted contribution in detail and even after several readings I am not convinced that this kind of contribution is made at the required scientific level.

I miss the detailed procedures for measuring noise and vibrations. Do all participants in the examined area have protective equipment?

The paper may be suitable for a professional journal, but not for a journal of such a scientific level. I do not recommend for publication. It is necessary for the authors to look at similar posts and try to analyze this problem in detail.

Notes: 1, pictures 1,2,3,4,5 must be drawn in color and the necessary parameters must be clearly marked on them.

2. To calculate the specific volume, it is necessary to decompose it into its frequencies by applying a discrete Fourier transformation.

3, it is necessary to clearly define the scientific contribution of the authors to the investigated issue.

4, I do not consider the materials and methods mentioned in the post to be precisely defined. They are only a description of the existing state.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

This is an interesting and helpful paper that highlights vocational teachers' exposure to high noise and vibration levels. It is interesting to see that well-established health and safety legislation is not applicable or has not been applied to the vocational teaching environment. It would be useful if the authors could clarify this question in their introduction, i.e., is Spanish health and safety law applicable to the teaching/training workshops?  The authors only need to add a sentence or two to their text to cover this. 

Overall, the standard of writing in English is good, but there are some typing or translation errors which need to be corrected as follows:

129 to 130 '.....metric called loudness which unit is sone and providing the correct..... '    should read ' .........metric called loudness, for which the unit is sone, that provides the correct......'

260 to 261  The word 'sheep' is used instead of the correct word 'sheet'.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

The manuscript by Santos-Romero and colleagues describes a study carried out in a vocational education training school in Cordoba, Spain. The authors analysed the profile of noise exposure profile of teachers participating in different workshops taught at that school. The authors presented the differences in those profiles and concluded that in some workshops the loudness was close to the legislated upper limit or borderline above it.

The scientific community needs more studies like this, highlighting the underappreciated dangers of noise exposure. For its purposes, the study is well designed and conducted. My only criticism refers to the Introduction section - it is too long; it needs to be shortened and the many mentions to the Spanish education system need to be removed or moved to the Materials and Methods section for context.

The quality of English is fine, there are some minor errors or typos that need correction.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

I received the post after completing it and editing it according to my comments. After studying it, I give this opinion: in this state, the contribution can be published. The authors accepted my comments and therefore their contribution can be published.

Author Response

Thank you very much for your comments, the paper has improved a lot for these.