Managing noise hazards at your workplace
GAVIN MOREIRA, Member Services Manager of the CMPA provides an extract from the CMPA’s latest guideline – Workplace Noise Management.
The latest CMPA Guideline “Workplace Noise Management” aims to provide members with an understanding of industry best practices in managing noise hazards. As well as supporting them to meet the requirements of the Victorian OHS Act 2004 and Regulations 2017.
The CMPA endeavours to:
• Provide members with appropriate management practices to minimise potential health risks associated with noise
• Assist members in establishing and maintaining a Work Plan so as to obtain and sustain an Extractive Industry Work Authority
This Workplace Noise Management Guideline is specific to noise arising from the workplace e.g., occupational noise and its potential impact on workers through exposure within the workplace and focuses on the following:
• Noise Legislation;
• Noise Hazards;
• Potential Impacts associated with Hazardous Noise;
• Noise Monitoring & Measurement;
• Noise Control; and
• Audiometric Testing and Audiological Examinations.
The Workplace Noise Management Guideline does not include reference environmental noise and its potential impact on the community, refer to the CMPA Environmental Nosie Guideline.
Noise Hazards
A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm to the safety and health of people, to equipment, property or to the environment. Risk is the likelihood and possible consequences of exposure to the hazard.
Exposure to noise is cumulative and a worker may perform a number of noisy work activities over time which, in combination, may expose the worker to hazardous noise.
Identification of noise hazards must be undertaken in consultation with your workers and their HSR where applicable. As a guide, if you need to raise your voice to communicate with someone about one metre away, the surrounding noise is likely to be hazardous to hearing.
A checklist is provided to assist in the identification of noise hazards in your workplace.
Refer attachment A – Noise Hazard ID Checklist.
Regular inspections of the workplace, talking to workers and observing how tasks are carried out will assist you to identify noise hazards.
Where noise can be immediately controlled, do so; otherwise enter the noise hazard into the relevant document to plan and establish its control, e.g., Issue of Resolution Procedure, Site Hazard Register or Site Action Plan.
Information regarding noise levels from the manufacturers or suppliers of existing plant and equipment used at the workplace should be obtained or the purchaser may set supplier objectives such as new plant or equipment improving on noise level of the old plant or equipment being replaced.
Common Sources of Hazardous Noise
The Construction Materials industry generates many sources of noise from types of various equipment and activities:
Quarries, Sand and Materials Recycling Plants
• Mobile Equipment – loaders, excavators, drills, rock hammers, dump trucks, reverse alarms, water carts, graders, dozers;
• Fixed Plant – crushers, screens, pug mills, conveyors, start-up sirens, hydraulic power packs, compressors, water pumps;
• Blasting, and blast warning sirens;
• Maintenance and workshop activities; and
• Road transport.
Concrete Plants
• Mobile Equipment – loaders;
• Fixed Plant – conveyors, alarms, bin filling, compressors,vibrators;
• Loading agitators and slumping/mixing loads;
• Maintenance and workshop activities;
• De-dagging agitators;
• Road transport; and
• Public address systems.
To download a copy of the Workplace Noise Management Guideline go to: https://cmpavic.asn.au/publications/support-sheets/
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