HOW WORKPLACE NOISE CAN CAN BE DANGEROUS
Factories, ports, plants, construction sites and other workplaces have one thing in common: workplace noise. Most often noise in a workplace is not paid with too much attention believing that this noise is just part of the workplace itself. Very few people understand that it is accompanied by potential danger waiting to happen. Many accidents that occur in a workplace can actually be associated to the noise. An approaching person may possibly bump into someone in an office corridor when the other suddenly decides to turn around. This scenario may certainly occur when there is too much noise in a workplace.
Workplace equipment is the primary contributor of noise in the area. This is very true in an indoor. Computer, printers, shredding machine and telephone are only a few of them. People working around this equipment will likely to get used to the noise they make. But never did they know the noise in the workplace reduces productivity. Many studies were conducted to prove this point. Workers in a quieter working environment are largely more productive than those of working in a noisy workplace. The noise causes workers to lose concentration to whatever they are working on. It prevents them to think clearly whenever they need to make decisions which may also lead to backlogs and back jobs.
It is not only, though, the productivity of workers affected by workplace noise, but as well as their health. The normal level of the sound tolerable to the human hearing is around 50-70 dB. Once the noise reaches 85 dB it may already cause damage to one’s hearing. Temporary loss of hearing, also known as temporary threshold shift, may be experienced when there is a very loud noise. But when a worker is exposed to noise for prolonged period and on a regular basis, it may lead to permanent loss of hearing or permanent threshold shift. The scary part of this is that permanent loss of hearing has no cure. Losing the sense of hearing will not only lose one’s job but also ruin one’s life.
Many companies now understand the danger brought by workplace noise and will conduct workplace noise assessments. For this reason, legislation has been passed to protect workers from this occupational hazard. This is basically to demand companies to use products, such as anti-vibration pads, to lessen, if cannot be eliminated, noise in the workplace. However, in workplaces such as construction sites, noises cannot just be muffled. This is the reason why safety measures are always carried out to prevent accidents from occurring. It is mandatory that anybody who enters the site should wear a hard hat. Though wearing one does not guarantee that one will not get hurt when a debris fell from atop, but it will reduces the risk of getting one’s head hurt severely.
It is clear that noise in a workplace is impossible to eliminate but reducing them will definitely help workers to become more productive and keep the occupational hazard at bay. Once the noise is substantially diminished the increase of productivity will surely be apparent. The company’s objective will surely be achieved and the morale of the employees will be soaring high. But the best part of it all is that no worker will be threatened to lose one’s sense of hearing.
The most effective way to identifying unnecessary noises in the workplace is to determine the things in the area. If they are less needed they should be moved to a secluded area where they won’t cause disturbance to anyone. Officemates should train themselves not to talk too loud so that others who are trying to concentrate on their work will not be distracted. Though other noises are inevitable like the sound of shuffling papers, they must be kept to a minimal level. These little things may not be as much of a factor in eliminating noise in the workplace but they definitely will make a difference. The companies’ responsibility is to make sure that their workers are not exposing themselves into an invisible but present danger. Knowing that they the company cares for them, they will return the favor by being productive. The company’s effort to minimize the hazard caused by noise in workplace will surely be rewarded. The noise in the workplace is everybody’s business, so everyone’s cooperation is highly needed.
Workplace equipment is the primary contributor of noise in the area. This is very true in an indoor. Computer, printers, shredding machine and telephone are only a few of them. People working around this equipment will likely to get used to the noise they make. But never did they know the noise in the workplace reduces productivity. Many studies were conducted to prove this point. Workers in a quieter working environment are largely more productive than those of working in a noisy workplace. The noise causes workers to lose concentration to whatever they are working on. It prevents them to think clearly whenever they need to make decisions which may also lead to backlogs and back jobs.
It is not only, though, the productivity of workers affected by workplace noise, but as well as their health. The normal level of the sound tolerable to the human hearing is around 50-70 dB. Once the noise reaches 85 dB it may already cause damage to one’s hearing. Temporary loss of hearing, also known as temporary threshold shift, may be experienced when there is a very loud noise. But when a worker is exposed to noise for prolonged period and on a regular basis, it may lead to permanent loss of hearing or permanent threshold shift. The scary part of this is that permanent loss of hearing has no cure. Losing the sense of hearing will not only lose one’s job but also ruin one’s life.
Many companies now understand the danger brought by workplace noise and will conduct workplace noise assessments. For this reason, legislation has been passed to protect workers from this occupational hazard. This is basically to demand companies to use products, such as anti-vibration pads, to lessen, if cannot be eliminated, noise in the workplace. However, in workplaces such as construction sites, noises cannot just be muffled. This is the reason why safety measures are always carried out to prevent accidents from occurring. It is mandatory that anybody who enters the site should wear a hard hat. Though wearing one does not guarantee that one will not get hurt when a debris fell from atop, but it will reduces the risk of getting one’s head hurt severely.
It is clear that noise in a workplace is impossible to eliminate but reducing them will definitely help workers to become more productive and keep the occupational hazard at bay. Once the noise is substantially diminished the increase of productivity will surely be apparent. The company’s objective will surely be achieved and the morale of the employees will be soaring high. But the best part of it all is that no worker will be threatened to lose one’s sense of hearing.
The most effective way to identifying unnecessary noises in the workplace is to determine the things in the area. If they are less needed they should be moved to a secluded area where they won’t cause disturbance to anyone. Officemates should train themselves not to talk too loud so that others who are trying to concentrate on their work will not be distracted. Though other noises are inevitable like the sound of shuffling papers, they must be kept to a minimal level. These little things may not be as much of a factor in eliminating noise in the workplace but they definitely will make a difference. The companies’ responsibility is to make sure that their workers are not exposing themselves into an invisible but present danger. Knowing that they the company cares for them, they will return the favor by being productive. The company’s effort to minimize the hazard caused by noise in workplace will surely be rewarded. The noise in the workplace is everybody’s business, so everyone’s cooperation is highly needed.