Let's hear it for better noise management
June 1st 2007 It's a noisy old world out there, with annoying and
potentially damaging sounds invading almost every
aspect of modern life. You need only glace at the
media to realise that the din of modern life is reaching
'unheard of' levels with things such as mobile phone
rings, car alarms and barking dogs being cited as some of
the most irritating aural annoyances
Fortunately, for most of us, these irritating sounds remain
just that – irritating. Yet we can usually escape them and
are seldom exposed to them for long periods. For those
working in industry, however, prolonged exposure to
excessive noise is a much more serious proposition and one
which can have serious health implications.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that 1
million people in the UK are exposed to excessive noise
levels at work and are at risk of suffering hearing damage.
It was to combat this problem that stiff new requirements
were introduced under the Control of Noise at Work
Regulations in 2005. Non-compliance is not an option and
the days when companies could simply issue staff with ear
defenders at specific noise levels are gone.
The HSE advises that the most effective and efficient way
of controlling noise is by technical and organisational
means that protect workers at source. These might include
changes in process, introducing engineering controls (e.g.
silencers and damping) modifying the path by which noise
travels through the air to exposed people (e.g. enclosures)
and reducing time spent in noisy areas.
Wakefield Acoustics, based in Cleckheaton, West
Yorkshire, is one of only a few companies capable of
providing turnkey industrial noise solutions, from providing
the noise assessment survey through to the design,
development, manufacture and installation of the actual
solution.
Assessing noise levels and whether they constitute a risk
can be a complex area. However, not providing an effective
solution could lead not only to enforcement by the health
and safety authorities but also potentially expensive
insurance and civil claims on behalf of employees whose
hearing has been damaged. If all this sounds like just
another bureaucratic imposition, then perhaps we should
look at the issue from another perspective:
Firstly, results from across the industrial spectrum show
that where noise control measures have been correctly
applied there have been clear gains in productivity and
efficiency through providing employees with a quieter, more
comfortable environment.
Secondly, hearing loss is usually gradual and irreversible.
Just because staff do not seem to be affected now does not
mean that several years down the line they won't suffer the
consequences of working in an excessively noisy
environment. Hearing loss is also distressing for those close
to the actual sufferer and can cause real social problems.
Thirdly, installing noise control measures can prove very
cost effective. These can range from low cost engineering
solutions based around in-house maintenance regimes, for
example, through to more sophisticated noise control
management programmes and systems. They all represent an
excellent investment, often generating higher levels of
productivity, and reduce the risk of potentially expensive
compensation claims.
The turnkey service that Wakefield Acoustics offers is well
illustrated by the work the company recently carried out for
Control Techniques UK, based in Telford. Control Techniques,
a division of the Emerson Group, is a market leader in
intelligent drive automation for a wide variety of industrial
applications.
Following a factory reorganisation programme the
company was anxious to reduce the noise from the sawing
area of its manufacturing plant. The specific machines in
question were emitting noise levels of around 100dB (A).
This needed to be reduced in line with the recently
introduced Noise at Work Regulations, so the company was
looking for a 20 – 25 dB(A) reduction.
Subsequent to a detailed assessment being carried out by
the Wakefield Acoustics Noise Consultancy Division, which
worked closely with the Control Techniques team, a solution
was prescribed which involved installing a 9m long by 4m
high acoustic screen to give the attenuation required. As
both access and visibility were also key requirements for
Control Techniques, suitable heavy duty doors and glazed
windows were designed into the solution.
Although industrial noise is a common factor in our lives
it can be reduced and controlled with significant benefits
for both employer and employees. The HSE advises that full
compliance of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations
2005 would eliminate noise induced hearing loss to a point
where no new cases would
arise by 2030. More articles from Wakefield Acoustics: | 
