Noise
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Noise Articles
Below is a list of articles that have been published on this topic.
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Noise in the Workplace
What Have You Heard About Noise?
The European Union’s Green Paper on Future Noise Policy estimated that 80 million people throughout Europe suffer from unacceptable noise levels that cause sleep disturbance, annoyance and adverse health effects. The Green Paper further estimated that around 40% of the European population lives in areas where environmental noise causes serious annoyance during the daytime.
Occupational Noise Measurement
Occupational hearing loss is damage to the inner ear - a form of acoustic trauma - from noise or vibrations due to certain types of jobs or entertainment. Sound is heard as the ear converts vibration from sound waves into impulses in the nerves of the ear.
Listen Up!
A subjective definition of noise could be ‘unwanted sound’. What is noise to one person is just entertainment to another. Ask two persons of different ages what they think about Rap music, for instance.
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The Selection of Hearing Protection
There are many aspects to noise within the workplace, from conducting a risk assessment to noise control measures, but at some point within the process it is likely that it will be necessary to issue Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to at least some employees.
A Safe Place to Work - Noise can be harmful, causing short term or acute damage
When thinking of noise do you think of your workplace? If you’re lucky, then hopefully not. But there are people who come across excessive noise every day at work.
Sound Practice - Noise Measurements in Health and Safety
Adrian Hirst argues that whilst the measurement of noise can be an involved process, the evolution of modern noise measurement equipment has been a boon for the technophobes as well as the technophiles.
Noise Measurement - A five point checklist to choosing the right equipment
Noise legislation, designed to protect hearing and prevent noise nuisance, is becoming tougher and more widespread. It’s a response to our increased understanding of the damage that noise can do to hearing, and the negative impact it can have on quality of life in the wider community.
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Sounding Off About Noise
The EU Noise Directive and the noise legislation that spread across Europe as a result, impacted companies of every description. According to their respective safety professionals, P&O found that it couldn't drop anchor without providing appropriate hearing protection to deckhands close to the descending chain, and Rolls Royce Turbine Division discovered that overnight it now had fi ve noise hazard areas on a site that previously only had one.
Industrial Noise
The environment we live in is a massive issue and one that’s having a growing impact on all our lives, and everyone’s being encouraged to play their part.
Noise and Vibration [Jan 2009]
Every day, millions of employees in Europe are exposed to noise at work. In case exposure to noise occurs over several years/decades at levels, for example a road builder is exposed to, this may cause hearing impairment, if protection is not provided or is not used.
Don’t Turn a Deaf Ear
The requirements of the new European Noise Directive on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to noise [Directive 2003/10/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 February 2003] change the conditions of design and testing for some types of hearing protectors as well as the conditions for selection and use of all types of hearing protectors. Stakeholders responsible for health and safety in companies need to know details on changes which have to be considered within the selection of hearing protectors and their consideration within the risk assessment.
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Rocking the Leisure Business
A quiet look at the noisiest industry in town. Patrons of loud concerts and bars are there out of choice and exposed to the noise only occasionally but these venues are places of employment for millions of people across Europe who work in the music and entertainment industry, and for whom the question of choice is less clear.
Noise Measurement
Advice when considering equipment - With the need for both workplace and environmental noise measurements becoming more widespread, it is essential that users have the appropriate tools to carry out these tasks. Noise measurement instruments, and Sound Level Meters in particular, can vary hugely in cost as well as in complexity. It is possible to find instruments, usually via the Internet, priced from as low as £20 and it is also possible to spend well over £5,000 for a sound level meter. Selecting a Sound Level Meter suitable for making noise measurements can often be confusing as well as expensive if the wrong choice is made.
Noise at Work
The ‘Control of Noise at Work’ Regulations came into force in April 2006. Over one year on from the introduction of the regulations, here is a reminder of what they require and the changes they introduced. Plus, here are some tips on when and how to conduct noise measurements in the light of the laws and how to use noise measurement equipment correctly.
Reduce the Effect of Noise
Recent research cited by the HSE estimates that over 2 million people are exposed to potentially harmful levels of noise during work. Nearly 200,000 people are believed to suffer from partial deafness, tinnitus or other hearing complaints due to excessive workplace noise exposure. Civil compensation for noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) rose dramatically after the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 were introduced in 1990. This legislation provided employees with statutory protection from noise in the workplace by setting clear noise exposure limits, which required employers to assess noise levels in the workplace against these limits, deciding whether they complied and then to provide suitable protection to employees where relevant.
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Vibration and Noise
Recent regulations include a number of changes, with the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations in force since October 2005 and the Control of Noise at Work Regulations which came into force in April this year there are a number of changes in legislation that employers need to take on board.
Control of Noise at Work
Regulations, equipment and guidelines on use
Cutting Down Noise at Work
Frequent exposure to loud noise can cause permanent, irreversible loss of hearing and tinnitus. Yet in most (if not all) cases this is entirely preventable.
Every day millions of workers all over Europe are exposed to dangerously high levels of noise. Statistics indicate that one in five European workers have to raise their voices to be heard for at least half of the time that they spend at work - suggesting that they are at real risk of noise-induced hearing loss - and that 7% suffer from work-related hearing difficulties.
Noise- A Pain in the Ears!
Despite the existence of Noise at Work regulations since 1989, the problem of understanding noise remains among some industrial users.
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Sound Advice
Often, in the world of health and safety, we concentrate on the obvious hazards within the workplace and forget those aspects that do not immediately present themselves as a risk.
Noise and Vibration [July 2003]
After many delays and false starts, a pair of directives arrive within a few months of each other. Regulations based on the directives must be implemented by member states before July 2005 for Hand - Arm Vibration and February 2006 for Noise. As the new requirements come into force so close together, there is a considerable incentive to spread the workload involved in updating risk management procedures and assessments by taking proactive action now.
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