The British Woodworking Federation Group

Noise Exposure

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Posted By
nimeshagohil
22/07/2022

In an industry where noisy machinery and powered hand tools are used (often at the same time) in many workshops, it should come as no surprise that woodworking is one of the noisiest sectors to work in.

What are the effects of noise exposure in a work place?

Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent, it all depends on the length of exposure.  Long term exposure to noise can result in irreversible damage whereas short term exposure can cause temporary hearing loss.

As hearing loss tends to be gradual sufferers may not even notice that their hearing is being damaged until it starts to have a profound effect on their daily life.  However, some conditions such as tinnitus can develop more quickly when exposed to noise.   Tinnitus symptoms include a constant whooshing or humming sound in the ear even when it is quiet.  This can be distressing and uncomfortable for the sufferer when trying to get to sleep or relax in general.  Understanding a simple conversation can be made difficult by misunderstanding words and finding certain sounds such as t, d and s hard to distinguish, which can impact communication and confidence levels of the sufferer.

Employers’ responsibility of measuring noise levels and providing protection

The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) have recently ramped up their inspections to include things such as HAVS (Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome) and noise exposure in the workplace. An employer has a duty to identify measures to eliminate or reduce the risk from exposure to protect their employees’ hearing. Employers must provide adequate and effective hearing protection and ensure that controls are in place so that operators use it the right way.

Reading the measurement of noise is always done in decibels (dB), sometimes written as ‘dB(A)’ which is the average level or ‘dB(C)’ when peak, impact or explosive noises are being monitored. Below are some examples of common tasks in a workshop and their noise level to give an indication of how loud certain machines are:

Average level conversation – between 50-60dB

Loud radio – between 70-80dB

Circular Saw – between 97-102dB

Multi-spindle planer moulders – Up to 105dB

What can we do to reduce noise levels?  A question asked by many employers, here are just a few ways to reduce noise in the workplace

  • Look at using quieter tools
  • Reposition of sources of noise, such as machines, radio, extraction units so they are not close together
  • Maintenance of machines and extraction units
  • Look at enclosures around noisy machinery

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 aims to ensure that any exposed workers’ hearing is protected from excessive noise at their place of work. The regulations state that

“The level at which an employer must provide hearing protection and hearing protection zones is 85 dB(A) (daily or weekly average exposure) and the level at which employers must assess the risk to workers’ health and provide them with the information and training is 80 dB(A).  There is also an exposure limit value of 87 dB(A), taking account of any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection, above which workers must not be exposed.”

Employers should note that protectors that reduce levels below 70 dB should be avoided, since this over-protection may cause difficulties with communication and not hearing warning signals.

The specification used to determine protection levels given by all hearing protection is known as a Single Number Rating (SNR). Basically, the higher SNR level the more protection the product gives in a noisy environment. For example, if a worker has a task that has a recorded noise level dB of 90 to 95 dB(A) you would select a product with an SNR protection rating of 20 to 30.

You should always make sure the SNR offers enough protection with the aim to get below 85dB at the ear, making sure that the protectors are suitable for the working environment. Comfort and hygiene alongside any interference need to be considered if the user will be wearing any other PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as hard hats, dust masks or eye protection.

The Health & Safety Executive has many tools available on their website including noise calculators, guidance on choosing quieter equipment and machinery alongside publications on health surveillance and industry good practice.

 

Posted By
nimeshagohil
Member of Construction Products Association
National Specialist Contractors Council
Passive Fire Protection Federation
CITB
The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products