Noise in the workspace poses substantial risks to our hearing. Without the right equipment and tools, you won’t ever truly understand your noise levels. Even worse, you may risk employees developing hearing loss. There are certain mistakes you want to avoid. We’re going to cover the two most important ones here. So, read on to learn more then come to us if you want help with industrial noise reduction.
A serious problem
First up is not taking noise seriously. Legally, every single employer has to look at Health & Safety regulations and legislation. The sector or industry doesn’t matter. The UK Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 dictate what employers must do to safeguard their workforce. They need to keep them safe from the dangers that excessive noise exposure presents. These regulations are legally enforceable too, so there can be serious repercussions if you fail to abide by them.
The level to keep in mind is 85 dB(A); this is when hearing protection is a legal obligation. It might appear that 85 decibels is a lot. Although, this is the same level of noise you typically get from a petrol lawnmower. So, it becomes apparent how prevalent the danger of noise is. At 85 decibels, you have a mere 8 hours worth of exposure before you can suffer permanent hearing damage.
To offer a bit more context, people working in the emergency services can be exposed to 120 decibels when the sirens sound. At 120 decibels, the maximum exposure time is 9 seconds.
If you look at the regulations, you’ll see businesses must be monitoring and managing the noise people are exposed to during their work day. You’re likely wondering how you’re supposed to know what the noise levels are though. Fortunately, there are easy-to-use instruments available that can help. Measuring sound is a vital step in industrial noise reduction.
Take control
The second mistake is not attempting to control noise risks in the first place. Even if you offer staff hearing protection, the risk still exists. Simply offering PPE isn’t sufficient to protect your team from the dangers.
Lots of employers supply poor hearing protectors. They either under-protect staff or over-protect them. With hearing loss, it may appear that it’s impossible to have too much protection. Still, when your people work with heavy machinery, over-protection might mean they cannot hear safety alarms or peers trying to get their attention. That can be equally hazardous.
For employers, it’s their obligation under Health & Safety law to put solutions in place. They need to manage the risks that noise presents. Preferably, you do this by minimising the workplace’s noise levels. The best way to accomplish it is usually via industrial silencers.
Talk to us about industrial noise reduction
At Ventx, we can supply clients with all sorts of industrial silencers. They are a key part of our efforts to improve safety in different workplaces. These utensils attach to your machinery and minimise the noise. You can also get solutions for noisy vents, exhausts, and more.
So, if you’re looking at industrial noise reduction, please get in touch. We have the skills to support clients in a number of industries.
