To establish and maintain a safe working environment, organisations need to ensure that: Therefore, having a clear understanding of the noise-related risks and how these may affect individuals is crucial. To manage health and safety risks effectively, organisations and workers need to fully understand them. Personal hearing protection should not be used as the only source of protection as noise can cause damage through the transfer of noise through vibrations which are transferred via the skull bone to the cochlear. Based on the 3dB trading effect just a 3dB reduction in noise levels will half the impact the noise has on workers. Using the hierarchy of control is important to ensure the exposures are reduced to as low a level as possible.

This includes all workers whether employed on a temporary, permanent, or casual basis, as well as all visitors and contractors who may enter a noise zone in the workplace.ĭue to the potentially high-risk nature of noise, organisations are required to control noise at the source and eliminate or reduce the risks where possible. Organisations and line managers have a responsibility to protect all workers from the harmful effects of noise generated in their workplace. When risk management is integrated into the core business functions, real change and improvement can be seen not only by preventing physical harm to the workers, but also by improving business performance.

The effective management of health and safety risks is an essential part of a good health and safety management system.

How can we control noise pollution