Noise and Vibration Hazards

Noise and Vibration Hazards

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 Introduction

PHYSICAL HAZARDS: Are factors within the environment that can

harm the body without necessarily touching it.
Physical Hazards include:
– Noise
– Vibration
– Radiation
– Pressure
– Thermal Stress

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 Noise
• What are the Limits?
– 0 to 20 dB(A): practically only audible under laboratory conditions 
– 20 to 30 dB(A): ambient noise far from towns and roads with no strong wind
blowing 
– 40 to 60 dB(A): conversation at normal volume 
– 60 to 65 dB(A): radio/TV at moderate volume 
– 70 to 90 dB(A): city traffic 
– 100 dB(A) and more: disco/pneumatic hammer 
– up to 130 dB(A): jet engine at a distance of 100m 
• Exposures of less than 80dBA may be considered safe for the
purpose of risk assessment

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 Noise
• The Risk
– Temporary loss of hearing or permanent hearing loss from exposure to noise
exceeding prescribed standards.
– Tinnitus (or ringing in the ears) which usually goes away but in severe cases it may
not causing additional problems.
• Remedy
– Eliminate the source of the noise where possible
– Find alternative, quieter equipment to use
– Insulate worker areas from noise producing machines
– Reduce the amount of time spent in a high noise environment
– Provide hearing protection
– Provide hearing tests for workers to establish any loss of hearing attributable to
work

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 Critical noise risk factors

Critical noise risk factors Sound waves

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 Identifying/Assessing Hazardous Noise

• Identifying and assessing hazardous noise conditions

in the workplace involve.
– Conducting periodic noise surveys.
– Conducting periodic audiometric tests.
– Record keeping.
– Follow-up action.

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 Audiometric tests

• Audiometric evaluation is the only way to

determine whether hearing loss is being prevented.
• Audiograms should be performed on the following
occasions:
– Pre-employment/prior to initial assignment in a hearing
hazardous work area.
– Annually while the employee is assigned to a noisy job.
– At time of reassignment out of a hearing hazardous job
– At the termination of employment.

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 Three parts of a noise hazard

unbalanced rotating If noise cannot be controlled to

an acceptable level at the
equipment source, attempts should then
mechanical shock be made to control it at some
point during its propagation
between solids, path; that is, the path along
which the
friction between metal sound energy from the source
parts, travels.
vibration of large
plates,
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Guideline for control of occupational noise
INTRODUCTION
• Basic practical guidance to the employer
in developing noise control measures ,
thereby helping him comply with the
requirement s of the Factories and
Machinery (Noise Exposure ) Regulations
1989
• These objectives will hopefully be
achieved via stimulation and
enhancement of:
1. The conceptual understanding of
occupational noise control ; and
2. Its subsequent implementation ; in
Malaysian workplaces .

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 Noise Control - Concept and Basic Principle
• As in all hazard control, noise control efforts should be approached according to
the hierarchy of control strategies , i.e. using the paradigm :

• Noise from most equipment comprises mainly waste energy . For this reason, as
well as other s related to efficiency, the best way to reduce noise is to tackle the
problem at the source .
• Generally, reducing the noise at the source also offers the most options .
• Reduction at path would generally involve adding barriers or enclosing the
equipment, but ma y also involve adding sound-absorbent materials . Reductions
of more than a few decibels are difficult to achieve by these modifications .
• At the other end , reduction at receiver (i.e. affected employee ) is achieved by
either removing the employee from the sound field, limiting his working time in
the area, or through the use of hearing protective equipment (HPE) .

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 Overall Noise Control Procedure
• The mode of attack for tackling an occupational noise problem is somewhat
similar to that for controlling any hazard in the working environment.
• Appropriate control measure s include such things as change in plant design and
layout, substitution of a less hazardous work method , reduction of the hazard at
its source, and reduction of the hazard at its path of transmission .
• It has been proven helpful in the past to follow a structured method of analysis
so that no possible control measure is overlooked.
• Thus the recommended method of approach goes according to the order
outlined below.
i. Plant planning (design and layout )
ii. Substitution (equipment, process , material )
iii. Engineering control
• Control at source (modification of noise generator )
• Control at path (modification of sound wave )

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 Control by Plant Planning
It is important to consider the following:
1. The building' s load-bearing structure, floors and machine foundation should be
chosen so that all noise sources can be effectively vibration isolated.
2. Powerful noise sources should be enclosed by structures which give adequate
airborne-sound insulation. Building elements where there is a risk of sound
leakage require special attention.
3. Rooms where there are sound sources and where personnel are present
continuously should be provided with ceiling cladding which absorb the incident
sound .
4. Office areas should be separated from building elements where vibrating
equipment is installed by a joint of elastic material.
5. Walls and ceiling construction, windows , doors etc. should be chosen so as to
achieve the required sound isolation.
6. Mounting noisy equipment on light or movable partitions should always be
avoided .
7. In open-plan offices and large rooms where there are several office functions
carried out in the same room, there must be a ceiling with high sound
absorption; and soft carpeting on the floor is also beneficial
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 Control by Substitution
Use Quieter Equipment
Some example s are given below .
1. Replace high-frequency propeller or axial flow fan with squirrel cage type blower,
which emits noise of lower frequency .
2. Replace high speed fans or blowers with low speed types .
3. Replace gear increasers with turbine drives , which are usually less noisy, where
high speeds are concerned .
4. Replace air ejector for removing parts from punch presses with a mechanical
ejector .
5. Replace a mechanical hopper vibrator — which are inherently noisy, where
temperature and material will allow, with an internal pulsating diaphragm type
pneumatic feeder , which will greatly reduce the noise.
6. Replace pneumatic portable tools with electric tools .

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 Control by Substitution
Use Quieter Equipment
Some example s are given below .
1. Replace high-frequency propeller or axial flow fan with squirrel cage type blower,
which emits noise of lower frequency .
2. Replace high speed fans or blowers with low speed types .
3. Replace gear increasers with turbine drives , which are usually less noisy, where
high speeds are concerned .
4. Replace air ejector for removing parts from punch presses with a mechanical
ejector .
5. Replace a mechanical hopper vibrator — which are inherently noisy, where
temperature and material will allow, with an internal pulsating diaphragm type
pneumatic feeder , which will greatly reduce the noise.
6. Replace pneumatic portable tools with electric tools .
7. Replace a pneumatic riveting hammer with a hydraulic press .
8. If an impact tool must be used, choose the smallest one capable of doing the job
9. Replace mechanical presses with hydraulic presses

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 Control by Substitution
Use Quieter Processes
Some example s are given below .
1. Replace percussion or impact riveting with:
a) welding , unless chipping is also required in
the weld preparation;
b) high strength bolts ; or
c) compression riveting.
2. Replace chipping with grinding, Arc-air
process or flame gouging .
3. Replace cold working with hot working .
4. Replace rolling or forging with pressing.
5. Replace high-impact impulsive force (i.e.
mechanical power ) used for pile driving in
building and construction with hydraulic
power

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 Control by Substitution
Use Quieter Material
Some example s are given below .
1. Replace acoustically Mive' material s with acoustically 'dead ' (highly
internally damped) materials . For instance, elastomer s are good
materials to use for bumpers . Good examples are gaskets , seals
industrial truck tires and rubber caps for hammer heads .
2. Replace steel wheel s on hand trucks with rubber or plastic tires .
3. Replace steel gear s with fiber gears .

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Engineering Control

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Engineering Control

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Engineering Control

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Engineering Control

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Engineering Control

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Engineering Control

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Engineering Control

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Engineering Control

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Engineering Control

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Engineering Control

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 Vibration Hazards

• Vibration hazards are closely associated with noise hazards

because tools that produce vibration typically also produce
excessive levels of noise.

The Risk
• The most common vibration-related problem is known as
hand-arm vibration syndrome(HAV).
– HAV is a form of Reynaud’s Syndrome, striking workers who use
vibrating power tools daily as part of their jobs.
• Another reported disorder from exposure to vibration is
lower-back pain.
• long-term exposure to vibration have shown evidence for risk
to the lumbar spine and the neck and shoulder

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 Vibration Hazards

Remedy
• Modifying the process to eliminate the task or the risk
• Redesigning the task or the equipment to reduce vibration exposure
• Buying machines or vehicles that are designed to reduce the vibration
transmitted to the operator
• Improving and maintaining road surfaces
• Implementing a seat maintenance program to ensure vibration dampened
seats are maintained in good condition
• Implementing speed limits
• Implementing regular work breaks, posture changes or job rotation to
reduce exposure time
• Providing training, information and supervision on adjusting and operating
equipment, including seats to reduce exposure.

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Guideline on occupational vibration

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Guideline on occupational vibration

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 Guideline on occupational vibration

Please refer to http://

www.dosh.gov.my/images/dmdocuments/glx/
ve_gl_occ_vib.pdf

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