NOISE MONITORING & ACOUSTIC SOLUTIONS
SAFE AND SOUND
As an employer, you are obligated by law to put measures in place to control the risks that noise presents, but how do you know if you have a noise problem, asks Jaymee-Lee Tolliday at Cirrus Research.
Excessive occupational noise can not only cause hearing damage that is permanent and disabling, but it can also lead to many health and safety issues within the workplace.
Without the right understanding of the noise levels in your organisation, you could be leaving your employees open to suffering from work-related hearing loss and other debilitating conditions such as tinnitus, a distressing condition that can lead to disturbed sleep and poor mental health.
You might think that providing all your employees with personal hearing protection is enough to protect them from hearing loss, and protect your organisation from claims, however according to the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, hearing protection should be a last resort.
The regulations (which came into force in all industry sectors, except entertainment, in Great Britain in 2006) state that firstly an employer should carry out any technical and organisational ways to reduce noise in the workplace. If after doing this, you identify that employees will still be exposed to noise levels at or above the Lower Action Value (LAV) of 80dB(A), which is equivalent to a noisy restaurant, then you will need to provide them with access to information, training, and the correct level of hearing protection.
As an employer, you are obligated by law to put measures in place to control the risks that noise presents, but how do you know if you have a noise problem?
Using noise measurement equipment is the easiest way to monitor the noise levels your employees are exposed to in the workplace. What equipment you use and how you measure these levels though will depend upon different factors.
SOUND LEVEL METERS When choosing to use a sound level meter to monitor
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your workplace noise levels, the meter you choose should, at a minimum, be capable of measuring the Equivalent Continuous Sound Pressure Level (LAeq), the C-Weighted Peak Sound Pressure (LCPeak) and should meet Class 2 requirements.
You should be able to calibrate your sound level meter using an acoustic calibrator and your sound level meter should meet the requirements of the relevant and current standards (IEC 61672).
PERSONAL SOUND EXPOSURE METERS A noise dosimeter or personal sound exposure meter
is useful for measuring noise exposures of individual workers, especially those that are mobile or working differing shift patterns.
If using a noise dosimeter, you should ensure that it measures the LAeq and LCPeak values, is calibrated similarly to the sound level meter and meets the relevant standards (IEC 61252).
NOISE-ACTIVATED WARNING SIGNS These devices provide a temporary warning light
linked to the actual noise level in the area itself and can help to manage the wearing of PPE. With these signs you can set a trigger level, and once noise in the area reaches that level the sign will display a lit warning.
Noise-activated warning signs can also serve as an important safety function in work environments that rely on processes that involve or produce exceptionally loud sounds.
Work-related hearing loss is preventable. But once your employees lose their hearing, it isn’t coming back. Don’t be responsible for the life changing impact work- related hearing loss can have on your employees.
www.cirrusresearch.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
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