Background Due to technological progress, industrial transformation, and the continuous emergence of new occupational health hazards, current standards may not reflect these new changes in time, affecting their effectiveness and implementation in the current work environment.

Objective To investigate the problems in practice of GBZ 2.2—2007 Occupational Exposure Limits for Hazardous Agents in the Workplace Part 2: Physical Factors, so as to provide empirical support for the optimization and update of the subsequent standard system.

Methods From March to June 2023, a survey was conducted among 275 professionals engaged in occupational health from various institutions, including centers for disease control and prevention, occupational disease prevention institutions, employers, technical service organizations, and universities. Data were collected using a combination of questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires covered aspects such as the application of the standard, overall quality, and the necessity and urgency of revisions. The interviews focused on specific issues encountered during the implementation of the standard and suggestions for its revision.

Results A total of 275 questionnaires were returned, of which 6 were invalid, and ultimately 269 valid questionnaires were included in the analysis, resulting in an effective recovery rate of 97.81%. The overall implementation of the GBZ 2.2—2007 standard was satisfactory, with recognition rates of 79.18%, 82.90%, and 81.41% for scientific validity, regulatory compliance, and accessibility, respectively. However, regarding timeliness, advancement, and completeness of supporting documents, there were 31.97%, 35.31%, and 36.81% participants expressed uncertainty or negative attitudes, respectively. Noise (91.82%) and high-temperature (81.41%) operations were the most concerning physical factors. The chapters on "Scope" and "Normative References" were identified as requiring the most urgent revisions. The main revision suggestions included the integration and update of existing standards, simplification of testing process, clarification of applicable conditions, optimization of measurement methods, addition of industry-specific limits, and alignment with international standards.

Conclusion GBZ 2.2—2007 needs to be revised urgently, focusing on issues such as insufficient coverage, outdated limits, and operational difficulties. It is recommended to expand the coverage of the standard, optimize the measurement methods, and supplement industry-specific limits, so as to provide scientific protection for workers' occupational health that meet current needs.