SAFETY
Noise Issues in the
Construction Industry
Protecting against worker hearing loss
Noise is inevitable in the construction
industry; anyone
working in this sector knows
that “a quiet life” is never going
to be part of their job description.
However, the danger is that long-term
exposure to high noise levels can cause
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL),
usually resulting from extended exposure
to sound levels at or above 85 decibels
(average decibel levels). Symptoms
of NIHL include deafness and tinnitus,
a distressing ringing in the ears that
can have a highly detrimental impact
on quality of life.
The World Health Organization
reports that worldwide, NIHL is the
most prevalent irreversible occupational
hazard. Once the damage is
done, it’s often too late to be remedied.
To compound the issue, workers with
compromised hearing are themselves
at further risk of danger since they may
have trouble hearing warning alarms
or safety instructions while on-site.
Fortunately, there are many ways
that noise levels can be reduced on
construction sites. For example,
smarter design methods mean that
ducts can be incorporated into a wall
at the manufacturing stage rather than
being chased out on-site. Power tools
are being adapted and developed to
be ever quieter, and hearing protection
such as ear defenders can be worn
when it is safe to do so. Some noises,
such as the tonal ‘beep beep’ of vehicle
reversing alarms can be eliminated
entirely using the latest backup alarms
on the market.
In Canada, as in many countries
around the world, calculating exact
levels of occupational hearing loss can
be almost impossible since many workers’
compensation boards only report
Hearing loss usually develops at a slow pace, which means it is not always accurately
monitored or reported over the years of a construction worker’s career
time-loss injuries. Hearing loss usually
develops at a slow pace, which means
it is not always accurately monitored or
reported over the years of a construction
worker’s career.
Yet, the Canadian Union of Public
Employees reports that NIHL continues
to be a significant problem in the
country’s workplaces. Particularly vulnerable
workers include those who
operate heavy machinery, along with
people working on construction sites
or with snow removal equipment.
Reversing alarms have long been
a solution for alerting those on the
ground to danger when a heavy vehicle
is moving. However, research has
shown that old-fashioned tonal alarms
may be causing significant noise pollution
on construction sites, and to
people living and working nearby. In
addition, it’s not always possible to
locate the direction from which the
alarm originates, meaning its effectiveness
can be severely compromised,
Submitted by Brigade
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRIGADE
especially if several alarms are sounding
at once.
Multi-frequency alarms are helping
to address this problem. Rather than
the traditional ‘beep beep’ of tonal
alarms, they create a ‘ssh-ssh’ sound
which is gentle on the ear and dissipates
quickly. Therefore, the alarm
can be instantly located and heard
only in the danger zone. In adverse
conditions, for example if rain is
pounding down, the warning decibel
level will be increased, but only to the
minimum level required to ensure the
alarm is heard.
While products such as Brigade’s
bbs-tek® White Sound reversing alarm
are a step towards limiting noise pollution,
they form only part of the picture.
Regular monitoring of employees’
hearing, alongside reviews of worksite
practices and strict adherence to noise
guidelines are essential to protect
workers from the cumulative effects of
worksite noise.
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