Noise at work

What should I do about noise at work?

Understanding your risk of noise exposure

Before taking any action associated with noise, you should assess whether noise exposure is an issue for your workers. This involves:

• Undertaking a noise exposure assessment.
• Determining if noise is a hazard.
• Implementing noise controls.

Each of these steps is explained below.

Step1 – Undertake a noise exposure assessment

We recommend undertaking a noise exposure assessment (or noise survey) in order to get data about the noise at your workplace and how it translates to worker exposure. AiGroup can conduct noise surveys for members (fee for service).

An effective noise survey will include:

• static survey measurements (spot tests to look at noise emitted by plant, equipment and activities)
• dosimetry testing, where workers wear equipment to determine exposure over their shift

This combination of assessments will give you an accurate picture of employee noise exposure and identify specific issues with work activities, plant and equipment.

Step2 – Determine if noise is a hazard

The safe noise exposure limits are:

• 85dB(A) over 8 hours; or
• 140dB peak noise levels.

If the noise survey indicates you have workers exposed to noise above these limits, you need to implement controls (see Step3 below).

Step3 – Implement noise controls

If noise is considered a hazard for one or more workers, you are required to:

• Use the noise survey results to identify:
• which workers are at risk of hearing loss;
• which noise sources and processes are causing the risk;
• the effectiveness of existing control measures; and
• what kind of noise control measures can be implemented.
• Establish a noise management plan.
• In your Work Health & Safety inductions, include information on noise exposure, risk controls and how and when to wear supplied PPE.
• Conduct hearing tests of workers who are exposed to noise above the exposure limits:
• within 3 months of commencing employment; and
• every 2 years thereafter.
• Conduct noise exposure assessments every 5 years and/or if workplace processes, plant or activities change in a way that may influence noise levels.

Hearing tests

All workers who are exposed to noise — including labour hire, agency staff and contractors — should receive hearing tests (also known as audiometric testing).

It is important to note that hearing tests do not provide any protection or noise exposure reduction for workers. However they give the business with valuable information:

• a baseline for each worker, for future hearing test results; and
• identification of workers who may be at increased risk of hearing loss.

Any hearing loss in the workplace indicates insufficient or ineffective risk control measures

As the business has a responsibility to provide a safe and healthy environment for workers, there is no level of hearing loss that is considered acceptable. If, following a hearing test, you find workers have suffered hearing loss, AiGroup recommends engaging a safety professional to attend the workplace. They will assist you to identify opportunities to improve risk controls and reduce the level of noise in the workplace.

Further information

For more information on noise management please contact Ai Group's Workplace Advice Line on 1300 55 66 77. Safe Work Australia also has some helpful guidance material.