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.
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.
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.
If after the above step sound cannot be minimized, then this calls for professional help. Complex measurements will need to be carried out by an external consultant. The measurements taken here require use of more sophisticated instruments which the consultant has been trained to use. There should be a team formed by people working at the particular workplace to work closely with the consultant.
Once the professional has finished carrying out the noise assessment, he comes up with a report. This report contains all information people at the work area ought to know concerning the hazard; its effects are proposed measures to rectify the problem. It will be up to the organization to implement the report in order to protect its workers.
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.
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.
If after the above step sound cannot be minimized, then this calls for professional help. Complex measurements will need to be carried out by an external consultant. The measurements taken here require use of more sophisticated instruments which the consultant has been trained to use. There should be a team formed by people working at the particular workplace to work closely with the consultant.
Once the professional has finished carrying out the noise assessment, he comes up with a report. This report contains all information people at the work area ought to know concerning the hazard; its effects are proposed measures to rectify the problem. It will be up to the organization to implement the report in order to protect its workers.
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