4 important tips to reduce the risks of exposure to workplace noise!
How important to reduce the risks of exposure to workplace noise? Undoubtedly to say, it is important to reduce the risks of exposure to workplace noise! According to the research done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 22 millions of US workers are exposed to dangerous noise in the workplace each year from teachers to airport ground staffs. The potentially damaging noise at work poses a serious health problem.
Delightedly, expert says that occupational hearing loss can nearly always be prevented. Health and safety professionals, employers, and workers can all help preventing occupational hearing loss.
Reducing workplace noise below 85 dBA is the best way to prevent occupational hearing loss and other effects from hazardous noise. There are some important tips to reduce the damage levels of hearing in noisy workplace.
Measure the noise levels in the workplace
To measure the decibels of noise exposure at the workplace may produce is a very initial and crucial point to determine if the noise levels in a workplace may cause the workers in occupational noise-induced hearing loss.
It is necessary to make physical changes on the tools and machinery, adequately equip workers with the hearing protection devices and provide proper training and knowledge when noise exposure is at or above 85 decibels averaged over 8 working hours, or an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) to help reducing occupational hearing loss, noise hazards.
Reduce the noise levels in the workplace
Some machinery controls or shifts adjustments are helpful to reduce or eliminate the noise levels in the workplace suggested by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). For examples,
- Change the tools and machinery to ones with low-noise level.
- Operate noisy machines during shifts when fewer people are exposed.
- Limit the amount of time a person spends at a noise source.
- Provide quiet areas where workers can gain relief from hazardous noise sources.
- Use appropriate personal hearing protective tools such as ear plugs or ear muffs in correct way.
How to choose the proper protective equipment to reduce the noise exposure in the workplace?
To relatively reduce the harmful noises in the workplace, it’s essential to regularly analyze the noise levels at your workplace and take actions to get multiple solutions and methods of prevention. When the noise levels cannot be efficiently eliminated or lessened, hearing protective products can be effective when chosen correctly, fit well, used consistently, and quality/performance checked regularly.
Yuanyi is supplying the most appropriate and certified hearing protective equipment based on several styles, materials, colors, and sizes to satisfy the various levels of potential noise exposure in the workplace. The typical sound levels upon diversified jobs are classified and applicable proper hearing protective items are suggested as below chart:
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Important message to consider while wearing hearing protective equipment:
Correctly and consistently equip with hearing protective equipment aim for appropriate noise reduction as of lower the exposure level to 75-85 dBA. Make sure the hearing level is not over-protected.
It will possibly result in dangerous factors such as feel isolated and less aware of their surroundings for hearing protective equipment wearers if there are too much sound reduction. It also has the risk that the wearers might take off their hearing protectors to hear someone speak or listen to equipment. For consistently wear the correct equipment, some value-added features are important to take into considerations such as comfortable, compatible with other safety equipment, characteristics of the work area, and the type of work being done, convenient and cost-efficient.
It is never too late to well protect yourself with qualified and suitable safety equipment before starting the work. Contact Yuanyi for more reference of hearing protection items or assistance to make the workplace well-protected and safer for enjoying daily work.