Noise Management At Workplace

Without suitable measures, high levels of noise can easily interfere with work-related activities and pose a risk to people’s health and safety. For example: loud machinery or appliances such as power drills, or working on or near construction, demolition, or engineering.

Noise that is intrusive for the majority of the working day, and requires employees to raise their voice to communicate, is a risk and must be controlled.

We’ve outlined some advice to help you decrease the risk of damaging your hearing permanently.

Have a think about whether or not any of the following questions apply to you:

• Do you work in a noisy industry, e.g. construction, woodworking, textile manufacturing, engineering, etc.?
• Are noisy powered tools or machinery used for over half an hour a day?
• Do you have to raise your voice during normal conversations when only 2 metres apart from other people?
• Is noise generated due to impacts, e.g. hammering?
• Is noise intrusive for most of the working day?
• Do you have muffled hearing at the end of the day, even if it’s better the next morning?

Did you answer yes to one or more of these? If so, it’s possible that you are working in an environment with noise hazards. And you wouldn’t be the only one.