MELA exposure database

The IFA's MELA database (the German acronym stands for "measured data on exposure to noise at the workplace") contains the following data obtained during workplace noise measurements:

• On the area of activity within the company
• On the sources of noise
• On the tasks performed

The noise exposure database has been maintained since 1998. With the import of older archived data, measured values dating back to 1975 are available in some areas. The data are recorded within the MGU, the accident insurance institutions' measurement system for risk assessment. The data in MELA are made available to the social accident insurance institutions participating in the MGU, for the purposes of:

• Prevention
• Epidemiology
• Retrospective analysis during investigations of reported cases of occupational deafness
• Identification of the noise situation to be assumed in certain working areas in consideration of the state of the art

Database at August 2011

• Number of data records: approx. 284,000
• 2,067 working areas
• 619 types of company
• 2,260 sources of noise

Bodies outside the social accident insurance institutions have no direct access to the data.

Responsibility for the database

The MELA exposure database system is maintained and upgraded and its contents evaluated by the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of DGUV (IFA), on behalf of the accident insurance institutions participating in the MGU.