NOISE MONITORING SAFE AND SOUND Ian Taylor of Acoustech Noise Management guides us
through the process of ensuring ear health is guaranteed at loud concerts or live event workplaces.
Hearing damage can be caused gradually by long term exposure to background noise in the workplace, or by sudden extremely loud sounds. This may manifest itself as hearing loss, people developing tinnitus and research indicates an increased risk of stress and coronary disease.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 make it clear that employers have responsibility to assess the risks and take action to keep exposure wherever possible through noise mitigation, task rotation and the provision of personal hearing protection where possible.
Clients within the music and live events industry have increasingly asked us to undertake their noise management and monitor at specific locations while events are underway over the past decade. Acoustech now regularly lends its expertise to the wider commercial sector as employers become more aware of their duty to protect their employees from potential damage at work.
When we look at a situation such as a concert, the initial focus was very much two-fold: the people working in the immediate vicinity of the stage, such as security and technical professionals, and at remote locations, where concert noise would be considered a nuisance and a licensing issue, such a local residents. We also monitor positions to include staff in adjacent roles such as bars, catering and concessions – particularly on multi-day events.
Whether it’s a live music event, venue playing music through speakers or a construction site the same principals apply. Begin by assessing the potential risks, monitor and measure the sound levels at the point where staff’s heads will be and then manage the potential risks to any staff that may be affected by noise. We monitor workplace noise, create heat maps, and advise on discretionary or mandatory hearing protection zones.
Commercial and industrial activities similarly generate noise pollution which is likely to impact upon local residents. We’ve seen growth in areas such as retail, where high streets use events and activations to drive footfall, or where fixed machinery such as extraction vents can be a risk. Leisure facilities, such as bars or clubs, also face constant pressure from licensing authorities and manufacturing activities have great potential to generate noise pollution. Distribution very often involves working hours that may be deemed unsociable by stakeholders or local residents, and noise management is a key way to build relationships with these important stakeholders.
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We also undertake acoustic surveys, assessments and reports to BS5228 Parts 1 and 2 ‘Code of practice for noise and vibration control on construction and open sites’. As part of our full turn-key solution we also provide long term on-site or remote noise monitoring solutions to provide reports and assessments which are often required for compliance with planning conditions and Control of Pollution Act 1974 Section 61 Agreements.
We monitor at multiple locations, using specialist (tamper proof) equipment that record sound levels across long durations. The right equipment is necessary for the high quality data needed for proper record-keeping and compliance, and this, allied to teams across the UK allows the company to provide the high quality, responsive service that clients need.
In all cases we assess whether noise at work regulations are being met and advise our clients accordingly.
It seems that more companies are waking up to their responsibilities to ensure mandatory guidelines for personal safe exposure to noise are being adhered to and we are expanding our capabilities to help them measure, monitor and manage, whatever their business.
www.acoustech.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
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