Noise in the Workplace

Noise Protection Safety Tips

Did you know that noise can have temporary and permanent effects? Nearly 1 in 5 people reporting hearing loss due to work are from the construction industry. Repeated exposure to loud noise over time may cause permanent hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss can also come from sudden loud noises, like explosions or heavy hammering. If the noise is loud enough, the damage can be immediate. A good rule of thumb is: If you need to raise your voice to be heard, the noise level is likely to be 85 dB(A) or more.

Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent and can’t be repaired.

There are many noisy tasks involved in construction work, which means that workers may be exposed not only to the noise that their work is making, but also to the ambient, or background noise that others are making on site.

The workers at risk of serious injury include those using:

• impact equipment and tools (for example: piling hammers, concrete breakers, manual hammers)
• explosives (for example: blasting, cartridge tools)
• pneumatically powered equipment (for example: nail guns)
• plant powered by internal combustion engines

Other workers who may be at risk include:

• workers in the vicinity of noisy plant
• operators and others in enclosed spaces where there are noisy activities or lots of machinery
• service and equipment maintenance workers

Protect your workers from the risk of noise:

Duty holders have duties under the OHS Act and Part 3.2 of the OHS Regulations in relation to managing health and safety risks associated with noise exposure in the workplace.

If noise is deemed to be an issue in your workplace the OHS Regulations have specific requirements for employers and duty holders to control the risk of noise.