One of the occupational hazards that some people may overlook is the impact sustained noise exposure can have on you or your employees.  In fact, "22 million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise at work each year," according to CDC estimates.   When we think of loud jobs, construction work, or heavy manufacturing environments probably come to mind, and these are exceptionally noisy environments.  However, noise hazards can occur at decibel levels as low as 85 dB with sustained exposure.  That is roughly as loud as your average city street during rush hour.  [1]  This sound level would not necessarily register as harmful when heard, but noises at or above 85 dB can cause hearing loss over time by killing nerve endings within our inner ear.  

As we have mentioned before in our blog, The Hierarchy of Hazard Control is the most effective way to mitigate a hazard in your facility, whether noise-related or not. Therefore, when using the Hierarchy, always use the highest level possible to manage your risk as the system is arranged from most to least effective. 

At the top of the Hierarchy of Controls is Elimination.  As you can imagine, the best and most practical way to reduce a threat is to get rid of it entirely from your facility--simple enough.   However, if eliminating hazards from a facility was that easy, businesses would not have to worry much about them.  Unfortunately, many risks present in a facility are inherent to the production process.  

The next rung down our Hierarchy tells us to look for an alternative solution.  As the second option, substitution is still a highly effective avenue to mitigate hazard risks.  In the case of controlling noise hazards, NIOSH has developed an initiative to help companies and organizations substitute their loud equipment. The Buy Quiet initiative encourages companies to "purchase or rent quieter machinery and tools to reduce worker noise exposure." 

After the first two steps, many facilities may still find themselves with an average noise level above the regulated 85 dBs.  However, the engineering controls portion of the Hierarchy offers solutions for manufacturing and industrial facilities of nearly all types. When mitigating sounds, engineering controls recommend placing some sort of barrier between the noise source and employees.  In fact, at Panel Built, we have an entire line of products dedicated to helping facilities introduce new engineering controls within their facilities. 

If noise cannot be controlled in a facility through these three methods, Administrative action may be needed to protect employees further.  These are methods and procedures that businesses use to mitigate hearing damage through "signage, restricted access, and/or employee training." These actions help employees recognize and address potential noise hazards and instruct them to handle them properly.  Further controls such as employee rotation programs can be used to reduce prolonged exposure to high volumns. 

The final step in the Hierarchy is the use of PPE or Personal Protective Equipment.  PPE is considered the least effective form of control because it relies on the proper execution by all employees in the face of a hazard.  If anyone employee misuses or forgets their PPE, they can be fully susceptible to the risk if it has not already been mitigated through other channels. 

However, this does not mean PPE is bad, just that other avenues should be explored first. For noise control, employers generally can offer two options: earplugs or earmuffs.  Both options should be provided according to employee preference.