Occupational safety and health professionals and employers can take the following actions to reduce noise in the workplace. Consider these solutions when creating your hearing loss prevention program:. To learn more, visit our Buy Quiet website. Join us to help promote Buy Quiet by raising awareness among workers and employers. Be part of a nationwide effort to reduce noise-induced hearing loss.
Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Noise transmission pathways and personal hearing protection will also need to be considered.
OSH professionals use the hierarchy of control to determine how to implement practical and effective risk management programmes to tackle noise-related issues in the workplace.
The hierarchy of noise control includes elimination or substitution of noise sources, collective control measures through engineering and work organisation, and personal protective equipment. There are several ways in which noise can be controlled, which can vary from one workplace to another. Good understanding of plant operations and work processes is necessary to determine the most effective method of eliminating, minimising or controlling the noise.
An essential outcome of noise risk assessment is identifying and prioritising measures to control the risks. Employers can use the findings of the risk assessment to formalise an action plan for controlling noise. The key actions will include:. Elimination is a process that eradicates the noise source it is the most effective way to prevent risks to workers and should always be considered when introducing a new work process, selecting new work equipment and designing the layout of the workstations.
Examples of noise elimination will include avoiding the use of noisy processes or machinery, elimination of impacts between hard objects or surfaces, outsourcing the noisy work processes and moving the noisy operations away from other work activities.
Advance planning and introducing a suitable purchasing or hire policy are essential to reducing the level of noise at work. Considering at an early stage how the new work process or new machinery would work without exposing the workers to excessive noise is the most cost-effective and long-term measure businesses can take to reduce overall noise levels.
Before acquiring new machinery, its noise levels should be considered this can be achieved by liaising with and obtaining information from the manufacturer or supplier of the plant or machinery. This may include installation instructions, maintenance arrangements and likely noise levels under the specific conditions in which the machinery will be operated.
What is noise? What are the common types of environmental. What are the principles of controlling. How can various noise problems be tackled? What can you do to help reducing noise? What are the common types of environmental noise? What are the principles of controlling noise? How does noise become a problem? The following diagram shows a common noise situation in many populated cities: A noise problem starts with a noise source such as a stream of traffic on a highway.
Perform regular maintenance. Focus on identifying and replacing worn or loose parts, lubricating moving parts, and ensuring that rotating equipment does not go off balance. Reduce sound reverberation in the room. Reverberation happens when the sound produced in an enclosure hits a hard reflective surface. The sound reflects back in the room and ads to the original source. The strength of the reverberation decreases with the distance from the source to the reverberating surface.
In some cases, the reverberated sound may dominate the original sound. In such cases, padding the reflective surfaces with sound absorbing materials will reduce the sound level. Reverberation can be reduced by arranging the equipment in the room in such a way that the equipment is not too close to too many reflective structures. The sound level of a noise source placed near hard reflective surfaces increases with 3 dB for each surface.
For example, if a motor is placed directly on the floor, close to one of the walls of the room the motor is close to two surfaces Figure 3, Position 2 , the sound level will increase by 6 dB; if the same motor is placed in the corner of the room close to three surfaces: two walls and the floor Figure 6, Position 3 , the sound level will increase by 9 dB.
Another way to reduce the sound radiation is to reduce the radiating surface e. Add a badge to your website or intranet so your workers can quickly find answers to their health and safety questions. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information, CCOHS does not guarantee, warrant, represent or undertake that the information provided is correct, accurate or current. CCOHS is not liable for any loss, claim, or demand arising directly or indirectly from any use or reliance upon the information.
OSH Answers Fact Sheets Easy-to-read, question-and-answer fact sheets covering a wide range of workplace health and safety topics, from hazards to diseases to ergonomics to workplace promotion. Search all fact sheets: Search. Type a word, a phrase, or ask a question. Sound can be produced by vibration or as a result of aerodynamic systems.
Vibration-induced noises are produced by: Mechanical shocks and friction between parts e. Out of balance moving parts e. The sound may be amplified by reflective surfaces that are around the devices.
0コメント