Noise Bringing it Under Control with Practical Solutions

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Noise Bringing it Under Control with Practical
Solutions

• Region VI VPPPA Annual Conference
• April 8, 2009
• Rebecca Carlo Justine Parker

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Outline

• The purpose of engineering controls as reflected
  in OSHA and industry standards
• Popular trends and bad habits regarding noise in
  industrial plants
• An eye-opening tour on risks and pitfalls of
  common industry trends
• Simple solutions to attack noise from an
  engineering control perspective
• A plan to move forward to manage noise and
  finally achieve change

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The Extent of the Noise Problem

• In the United States of America (USA) more than
  30 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise
  (NIOSH, 1998).
• Hearing loss due to noise exposure was listed as
  one of the eight most critical occupational
  diseases and injuries requiring research and
  development activities (NIOSH, 1996).

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The Extent of the Noise Problem
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What does OSHA mandate regarding noise exposure?

• Utilize administrative or engineering controls
  when sound levels exceed Noise Permissible
  Exposure Levels, e.g. 8 hours permitted duration
  per workday for 90 dBA sound level.
• Provide hearing protectors if above controls fail
  to reduce sound levels within Permissible
  Exposure Levels.
• Impulsive or impact noise should not exceed 140
  dB.

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What does OSHA mandate regarding noise exposure?

• A hearing conservation program
• Implemented whenever employee noise exposures
  equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average
  (TWA) of 85 dBA without attenuation from use of
  hearing protectors.
• When a standard threshold shift occurs
• Employees not using hearing protectors shall be
  fitted with hearing protectors, trained in their
  use and care, and required to use them.

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Elements of a Hearing Conservation Program

• Noise Monitoring
• Hearing Protectors
• Audiometric Testing
• Evaluation of Audiogram
• Audiometric Test Requirements
• Audiometer Calibration
• Training
• Record Keeping

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Engineering Controls and Noise Monitoring

• Develop a sampling strategy to
• Assess employee exposure to identify the need for
  engineering controls (personnel and area)
• Identify employees for inclusion in the hearing
  conservation program
• Use personal sampling when there is
• High worker mobility
• Significant variations in sound level
• Significant components of impulse noise

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Benefits of Noise Control

• Reduced noise-induced permanent threshold shift
  (NIPTS)
• Reduced Compensation Cost
• Improved Communications
• Reduced Absenteeism and Injuries

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Benefits of Noise Control

• When noise control measures reduce employee
  exposures below the action level of 85 dBA.
• Audiometry
• Training
• Hearing Protection
• Recordkeeping
• All the associated ongoing administrative costs
• CAN BE SAVED!

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Money, Money, MoneyMoney!

• Noise-Reduction Cost-Control Planning
• 1.) Controlling noise at the equipment or design
  stage
• 2.) Purchasing new production equipment
• 3.) Retrofitting and/or modifying the existing
  production equipment and environment

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Popular Trends

• Hearing Protection
• Administrative Controls
• Quieting Noisy Equipment

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Popular Trends

• Hearing Protection
• Ignores the root problem
• Noise (possibly vibration) source still exists

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Popular Trends

• Hearing Protection
• Ignores the root problem
• in an aging workforce this can compound your
  risk
• Natural hearing deterioration.
• Working in a noisy environment can expedite this
  process creating permanent partial hearing loss
  within the working age group.
• Some medications can be ototoxic
• Antibiotics such as erythromycin and some cancer
  treatment drugs.

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Popular Trends

• Relying on Hearing Protection Ignores the
• Root Problem
• Noise exposures can create
• Sleeplessness due to ringing in the ears
  (tinnitus)
• Stress elevations
• High blood pressure
• A lack of proper sleep and elevated stress will
  compound hazards and elevate your risk level!
• What does tinnitus sound like???

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Popular Trends
Continual or Distracting Noisy Environment
Employee with limited hearing while using
earplugs / earmuffs
Employee with a higher potential for hearing loss
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Popular Trends

• Hearing Protection
• Still puts workers at risk for hearing loss
• OSHA only defines a Standard Threshold Shift to
  be 10 db at 2K, 3K and 4K Hz only. But we can
  hear from 20Hz to 20,000 Hz!

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Popular Trends

• Hearing Protection
• There are limitations are hearing protection
• Not NIOSH tested or approved in any way.
• NRRs are required by the EPA based on ANSI
  S12.6-1997.
• NIOSH and OSHA recommend using a 50 FIT FACTOR
  when determining real-world hearing protection
  device effectiveness.
• Many variables that can hinder the effectiveness
  of hearing protection.

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Popular Trends

• Administrative Controls
• Limiting employee exposure to high noise by
• Rotating shifts
• Moving workers to another location
• -Control room
• Still leaves the hazard on-site and the risk has
  not been eliminated, only avoided for periods of
  time.

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Popular Trends

• Pipe wrapping and pump shrouding
• Can mask leaks and potential problems
• Can fluctuate temperature
• Can hold water and change weight loads
• Or cause microbial growth
• Acoustical insulation
• (polystyrene can be flammable)

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Simple Solutions to Attack Noise from an
Engineering Controls Perspective
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Understanding Noise ControlTypical noise
reductions associated with each strategy
6 8 dB
6 8 dB
10 25 dB up
4 6 dB
10 25 dB up
http//www.citysoundproofing.com/strategies.html
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Simple Solutions

• Source Treatments
• Modification
• Repairing Steam Leaks in Plant
• Realigning Pumps
• Mechanical Impacts
• Reducing the driving force
• Reducing the distance between impacting parts
• Dynamically balancing rotating equipment
• Maintaining equipment in good working order

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Simple Solutions

• Source Treatments
• Retrofit
• Installation of one or more commercially
  available noise-control products or systems
• Vibration Damping, Vibration Isolation, Silencers
• Substitution
• Installation of a quieter alternative for
  production need
• Use of products that contain high
  internal-damping properties
• Relocation
• Repositioning the noise source away from the
  workers

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Simple Solutions

• Path Treatment
• Installation of sound absorption material (thick,
  soft, porous and fuzzy materials)
• Caveat Materials do not absorb sound equally at
  all frequencies

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Simple Solutions

• Sound Absorption Materials
• Polyurethane Foam
• Fiberglass
• Fabric

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Simple Solutions

• Receiver Treatment
• Install an acoustical booth or shelter to isolate
  the employee(s)

• Caveat To maximize the benefit of isolation
  booths the background sound level in the booth
  needs to be less than 80 dBA.

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Case Study Trackmobile
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Case Study Trackmobile

• Path Treatment Install a floor mat with a plug
  for the hole in the floor of the cab of the
  Trackmobile, and keep the hole plugged when not
  being used for lining up the rear rail wheels
• Path Treatment Consider the installation of air
  conditioning in the Trackmobile so that the doors
  and windows can be kept closed in hot weather
• Receiver Treatment Consider installing a ground
  control system or radio controller to remove the
  operator from the noisy cabin

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A Plan to Move Forward

• The existence of a hearing conservation program
  does not guarantee the prevention of occupational
  hearing loss.
• Eliminating the source of noise will do this.
• Many plants are unnecessarily noisy.

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A Plan to Move Forward

• Start at the source
• For New Equipment- incorporate noise level
  requirements in the purchase process
• BUY-QUIET Program

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A Plan to Move Forward

• BUY-QUIET Program
• Create a Noise Emission Specification Sheet for
  contractor with the following details
• Equipment Operating Conditions
• Maximum Permissible Sound Levels for pre and post
  installation
• Warranty of Noise Emission Levels by Contractor
• You can also include vibration requirements.

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A Plan to Move Forward

• Start at the source
• For Current Equipment- create a noise source
  management process into your hearing conservation
  program.
• Where management identifies controllable exposure
  sources (i.e. noise from air exhaust can be
  controlled with the installation of an air
  exhaust muffler)
• Set goals for the control (i.e. prioritize your
  exposure sources by a combination of either noise
  level, reduction expected, location, costs, etc)

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A Plan to Move Forward

• Start at the source
• For Current Equipment- create a noise source
  management process into your hearing conservation
  program.
• Prioritize allocated resources to accomplish
  these goals.
• You can use this in combination with
  administrative controls.
• Pipe wrapping and pump shrouding may be only
  choices.

Here are some simple ways to start engineering
your current equipment
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A Plan to Move Forward
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A Plan to Move Forward
Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia
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A Plan to Move Forward
Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia
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Questions?