Environmental Noise Webinar

GAVIN MOREIRA, Member Services Manager for the CMPA reports on the Environmental Noise Webinar.

On 28th April 2022, the CMPA held a vital two hour webinar on the newly updated CMPA Workplace Noise Guideline and a separate Environmental Noise Guideline that enables compliance with the new Environment Protection Act 2017. The webinar attracted 36 members and was for owners, managers, supervisors and HSE officers alike.

The first presentation was on Workplace Noise Management by David McKelvie from SafeMix. Which provided a Scope of the Guideline including information on:

• Introduction to Noise
• Legislation and Responsibilities
• Noise Hazards
• Common Sources of Hazardous Noise
• Potential Impacts associated with Hazardous Noise
• Noise Monitoring & Measurement
• Noise Control

An extract on the guideline can be found on page 27-28. The Guideline includes a Noise Hazard ID Sheet to be filled out on regular inspections of your workplace. The second presentation was on Environmental Noise
Management by Jean Meaklim, Senior Principal – Risk Assessment (Health & Environment) from Greencap Pty Ltd.

Which provided information on the following:

• About Environmental Noise
• Overview of Environmental Noise Legislation
• Duties under the Regulations including the General Environmental Duty
• Environmental Noise Limits
• Noise Protocol
• Vibration & Blasting
• Environmental Noise Management Plan

The potential health risks of environmental noise are gaining increasing attention as more people in Australia are being exposed to environmental noise. There is evidence showing that environmental noise (unwanted sound) can adversely affect health and well-being with outcomes ranging from sleep disturbance to stress and cardiovascular disease, and there are more requirements for industry to take actions to reduce environmental noise exposure to the community.

The Victorian Environment Protection Act 2017 (the Act) and the general environment duty (GED) change the focus of noise compliance and enforcement in Victoria.

All businesses must comply with the general environmental duty to take reasonable steps to minimise harm to human health and the environment from pollution and waste, including noise.

Under the Act and the GED, any source of noise can be unreasonable, depending on the situation. Businesses must not cause unreasonable noise or aggravated noise. They must make sure that any noise from their activities or premises doesn’t unreasonably impact the local community.
This includes being responsible for contractors or tradespeople they hire.

Employers and company directors have a duty to exercise due diligence to ensure that the business complies with the Environment Protection Act and Regulations (as well as the OHS Act and Regulations). This includes taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the business has assessed its noise risks – to workers and to neighbours – and uses appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise those risks and comply with environmental noise limits including:

• having a noise management plan that covers environmental noise assessment and mitigation ; and
• training and supervising workers to implement the noise management plan and any controls needed to protect the health of the community as well as their own health and safety

There are penalties for businesses for non-compliance with the Act ranging from infringement notices to criminal charges, depending on the severity and the frequency of the non-compliances. Criminal penalties can include jail time for company owners/directors.
Environment Protection Act defines “Noise” as sound and vibration. Vibration is not covered in the Noise Protocol and noise limits do not apply to blasting activities.
Blasting limits are in “Ground vibration and air blast limits for blasting in mines and quarries” from Victorian Dept of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR).

The Guidelines recommend limiting blasting impacts at residential premises and other sensitive sites (land within 10 metres of a residence, hospital, school etc).
Blasting can cause adverse impacts on neighbours. Ground vibration and air blast (vibrations through the air and noise) can cause annoyance and discomfort when noise startles individuals or when air blast and/or ground vibration causes rattling of windows or other items (structural damage is unlikely).

Annoyance is influenced by the level of air blast and ground vibration as well as factors such as the time of day, the frequency of occurrence and the sensitivity of individuals. Blasting should only occur during the day (9-5 Monday-Saturday). Other times may sometimes be agreed with permission from DJPR, WorkSafe & community consultation.
DJPR recommended limits on ground vibration and air blast are set to minimise annoyance and are lower than levels likely to cause structural damage. (More stringent limits may be required to protect fragile structures such as historic buildings.)
The CMPA Environmental Noise Guideline provides guidance on measuring noise and vibration, including:

• Selecting monitoring locations
• Atmospheric effects on noise
• Contracting a specialist/consultant where necessary

Once the noise risk has been assessed, identified risks to the community must be managed and minimised. The primary means of controlling environmental noise is by controlling workplace noise, by modifying work methods, equipment (including shielding if necessary), and hours of
operations.

Risk controls to reduce workplace noise and environmental noise should be reviewed and monitored after implementation, on a regular basis (e.g., annually), and/or if complaints are received and/or when any changes to the controls or work procedures occur. This helps the business comply with the General Environmental Duty to be proactive in preventing or minimising risks to health and the environment as far as reasonably practicable.

The two new CMPA Noise Management Guidelines April 2022 were released with tools required for compliance with the new regulations. They can be downloaded at https://cmpavic.asn.au/publications/support-sheets/

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