Noise above a particular level can cause hearing problems to people exposed to it and even deafness in severe cases. Numerous people working for different organizations or companies may be affected to this hazard and they are not aware of it only to find later that they are diagnosed with hearing conditions. The state provides acts which aim at protecting people from such conditions apart from this; different workplaces nowadays decide to conduct a noise assessment to determine how worse the problem is.
The first step during this assessment is recognition of the problem. Persons who can do this follow up of identifying the hazard may include but not limited to; the employer, supervisor, health and safety representatives at the work place, workers themselves and any other concerned party. At this stage, no technical expertise maybe needed as what is required t be identified is the discordance sources and exposure conditions.
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.
Next question to be asked concerns who is exposed to the discordance. Therefore an assessor should indicate the location of workers on the worksheet in relation to the source. How loud the noise is should be the next thing to assess. This will require the assessor to have a discordance meter to measure the level of sound. Normal sound levels should be below 75decibels. Any sound above this is a hazard to the people working around that place.
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.
Since the sound effects cannot be minimized, assessment continues. Correct measurements ought to be taken to correctly establish exposure levels to particular employees. At this level, the equipment used to collect the data is advanced than the latter example the noise dosimeter. Before the person collects data, he or she ought to be properly trained on the use of the instrument and its features to collect and interpret data properly.
When the measures implemented during the second stage still do not work, an organization will need to get specialized help. This would mean that they contact an external discordance consultant who can assess the risk better and propose measures to be implemented to curb the problem. Such a consultant will need to work with a small team of persons the organization. His measures of data collection are complex to yield better results.
At the end of the noise assessment, the consultant will come up with the report. This report will be given to a supervisor or employer who will be required to implement the measures stated in the document. If with the use of the report the sound level goes to an acceptable level, the sound level should still be monitored in case new variables arise.
The first step during this assessment is recognition of the problem. Persons who can do this follow up of identifying the hazard may include but not limited to; the employer, supervisor, health and safety representatives at the work place, workers themselves and any other concerned party. At this stage, no technical expertise maybe needed as what is required t be identified is the discordance sources and exposure conditions.
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.
Next question to be asked concerns who is exposed to the discordance. Therefore an assessor should indicate the location of workers on the worksheet in relation to the source. How loud the noise is should be the next thing to assess. This will require the assessor to have a discordance meter to measure the level of sound. Normal sound levels should be below 75decibels. Any sound above this is a hazard to the people working around that place.
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.
Since the sound effects cannot be minimized, assessment continues. Correct measurements ought to be taken to correctly establish exposure levels to particular employees. At this level, the equipment used to collect the data is advanced than the latter example the noise dosimeter. Before the person collects data, he or she ought to be properly trained on the use of the instrument and its features to collect and interpret data properly.
When the measures implemented during the second stage still do not work, an organization will need to get specialized help. This would mean that they contact an external discordance consultant who can assess the risk better and propose measures to be implemented to curb the problem. Such a consultant will need to work with a small team of persons the organization. His measures of data collection are complex to yield better results.
At the end of the noise assessment, the consultant will come up with the report. This report will be given to a supervisor or employer who will be required to implement the measures stated in the document. If with the use of the report the sound level goes to an acceptable level, the sound level should still be monitored in case new variables arise.
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