Continuous noise exposure at work can lead to workers having hearing problems or even deafness. The hearing problems can result while a person is still working at the place or has retired. There have been regulations passed by governments to protect employees from these discordance levels and hence reduce cases of deafness at such jobs. Apart from this, the organizations or companies themselves do carry out noise assessment to find the cause and reduce it significantly.
For companies taking the assessment for the first time they will need to first identify the source of the problem. At this level, persons who can conduct the assessment to identify the hazard include; a supervisor, manager, health and safety representative and even an employee. Technical expertise is not warranted at this stage or basic recognition of the source.
The evaluator thus prepares a worksheet that contains questions that will be asked during the process. Methods that may be used to collect the data include checklists, observations, and interviews among other methods. The worksheet starts with inquiring about the hazard source. In many work places it may be from a compressor, a photocopier, machines, conveyor, radio, power tools and many other numerous sources.
After determining the source next will be to find persons who are mostly affected with the hazard. Usually, the assessor will have a map of the work area and he should indicate on it the location and persons mostly affected by the sound levels. The other thing that ought to be established is the discordance level and this requires a meter that will take the measurements. If the level is found to be below 75 db, this is normal. But if it is above this mark, it is harmful to persons working there.
After finding out that the sound levels at the workplace are harmful, an evaluator needs to see the measures that the company has taken to minimize this. There are numerous measures that can be taken but most places utilize hearing protection control units. In some situations, these measures do work but in some scenarios they do not.
From this point, the assessment proceeds. During this step, an evaluator needs to take precise measurements in order to find out level of exposure to the employee. A more advanced instrument such as the noise dosimeter is used. An evaluator using this equipment ought to have been trained well in order to use all the features of the instrument appropriately and interpret data well. At this level people around the work place should be involved in the assessment process.
The third step that follows after taking all the above measures is calling professional help. The organization therefore sets to look for an external consultant who comes with sophisticated instruments to collect data. It is good that a team be formed at the work place to work together with the consultant to provide additional information that the professional may need and hence make work easier.
When the noise assessment is complete, the consultant prepares a report about his evaluations. The report does contain the different sources of loud sound and measures that should be taken to minimize this. The management is then required to implement the recommendations proposed by the report and still monitor to see if the recommendations worked or not.
For companies taking the assessment for the first time they will need to first identify the source of the problem. At this level, persons who can conduct the assessment to identify the hazard include; a supervisor, manager, health and safety representative and even an employee. Technical expertise is not warranted at this stage or basic recognition of the source.
The evaluator thus prepares a worksheet that contains questions that will be asked during the process. Methods that may be used to collect the data include checklists, observations, and interviews among other methods. The worksheet starts with inquiring about the hazard source. In many work places it may be from a compressor, a photocopier, machines, conveyor, radio, power tools and many other numerous sources.
After determining the source next will be to find persons who are mostly affected with the hazard. Usually, the assessor will have a map of the work area and he should indicate on it the location and persons mostly affected by the sound levels. The other thing that ought to be established is the discordance level and this requires a meter that will take the measurements. If the level is found to be below 75 db, this is normal. But if it is above this mark, it is harmful to persons working there.
After finding out that the sound levels at the workplace are harmful, an evaluator needs to see the measures that the company has taken to minimize this. There are numerous measures that can be taken but most places utilize hearing protection control units. In some situations, these measures do work but in some scenarios they do not.
From this point, the assessment proceeds. During this step, an evaluator needs to take precise measurements in order to find out level of exposure to the employee. A more advanced instrument such as the noise dosimeter is used. An evaluator using this equipment ought to have been trained well in order to use all the features of the instrument appropriately and interpret data well. At this level people around the work place should be involved in the assessment process.
The third step that follows after taking all the above measures is calling professional help. The organization therefore sets to look for an external consultant who comes with sophisticated instruments to collect data. It is good that a team be formed at the work place to work together with the consultant to provide additional information that the professional may need and hence make work easier.
When the noise assessment is complete, the consultant prepares a report about his evaluations. The report does contain the different sources of loud sound and measures that should be taken to minimize this. The management is then required to implement the recommendations proposed by the report and still monitor to see if the recommendations worked or not.
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