Noise risk Assessment
Every employer must ensure suitable protection for employees from excessive noise at work through occupational noise assessments. A noise at work assessment assists employers to fulfil their responsibilities to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 .
Surveys and noise risk assessments are important to identify noise and vibration risk exposure to workers and provide noise control measures if projected exposures exceed Upper Action Values. We can advise on suitable and hearing protection should it be important that workers need to be aware of their surroundings.
Vibration risk exposure
High levels of vibration can lead to sensory nerve, muscle and joint damage which is called hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) often due to the use of hand-held equipment with high levels of transmitted vibration. Unchecked HAV exposure can lead to the finger numbness and whitening appearance to the fingers as blood flow is restricted known as vibration ‘white finger’, which highlights the importance of regular occupational noise assessments to meet The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005.
Whole body vibration (WBV) is caused by sitting, standing or lying on a vibrating surface such driving an HGV or shunting vehicle or working on a plantroom deck. Excessive vibration at work exposure to the body can lead to headaches motion sickness, chronic back pain, stomach problems and even sleep and visual disturbances.
Environmental Noise Impact Assessments & Permits
Many industrial sites have environmental permits with conditions that require operators to control noise and or vibration pollution issued by The Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Natural Resources Wales or Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
Environmental permits have conditions that require operators to control pollution through desktop noise risk assessments, environmental noise surveys and best available technique (BAT). Typically, the industrial acoustics assessment includes a ‘BS 4142: Methods for rating and assessing industrial and commercial sound’ to quantify the level of environmental noise impact from industrial processes.
BS4142 determines the adverse impact of sound from industrial and commercial sources to assess new or modified external plant.
It is important that an independent acoustic consultancy like Environoise is employed to assess the level of impact further to the environmental noise surveys with plant noise limits given initially and detailed mitigation advice once plant proposals are confirmed.
Energy from waste
The production of energy from waste remains important and an important part of a sustainable future if landfill is to be avoided.
Processes such as separating, grinding, compacting, and crushing all have the potential to cause noise issues at almost every stage of the process. Like many industrial sites, loading and unloading materials and transport around the site is an industrial noise source that needs addressing. It is important that your acoustic consultancy has the industrial acoustics experience to consider the cumulative impact of separate noise sources.
Power stations
Whether coal fired, gas fired, Combined Cycle Gas Turbine power stations, we can assist meeting boundary noise targets or giving specific noise or vibration control advice. We provide noise control specifications for many industrial source types.
Demolition & Construction Vibration Monitoring
Demolition & construction sites often require compliance monitoring. This may be needed to meet the requirements of a Local Authority Section 61 agreement or a Section 60 order. Monitoring may be required to reduce the risk of impact on people and / or building structures. Our services include remote live feed monitoring to help avoid exceedances of Local Authority criteria and to reduce the risk of complaint.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a BS4142 Noise Impact Assessment?
BS 4142 is a method to assess the impact of industrial noise on humans in residential premises. It is appropriate for assessing sound levels outside a building that are from industrial premises, manufacturing premises or fixed installations, mobile plant, vehicles, train or ship movements within the permit boundary.
What sets Environoise Consulting apart as industrial and environmental acoustics specialists?
We have decades of experience in the industrial acoustics sector whether noise or vibration and because we are not affiliated with any manufacturer, we can be objective with recommendations taking into account the context of the situation.
How often do I need a noise at work or noise risk assessment for my workers?
You need a new noise at work risk assessment if the noise environment in the workplace has changed e.g. new equipment or new layout. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommend you continue to do all that is reasonably practicable to control the risks with occupational noise assessments done every two years.
Let Environoise Consulting take the risk out of your industrial acoustics project. Contact us today.