Essential Tips for Reducing Noise Exposure
Originally Published by: Builders Mutual — January 13, 2025
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At nearly any job-site, there’s no escaping the constant noise. For some construction workers, noises can reach to a level high enough to threaten their health and safety.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), about 51% of all construction workers have been exposed to hazardous noise, and 14% have hearing difficulty. Fifty-two percent of workers exposed to these intense noises report not wearing hearing protection.
Perhaps these workers weren’t aware of the dangers – or they were offered personal protective equipment (PPE) that was uncomfortable. Either way, there’s room to improve crews’ understanding of hearing loss and how they go about preventing it. Alex Terrier, Senior Risk Management Consultant at Builders Mutual, will discuss strategies to prevent hearing loss and how the most effective hearing protection tool is the one that gets used.
Why are high noise levels dangerous?
Workers exposed to high noise levels may experience permanent hearing loss. Once a person’s hearing is gone, even hearing aids or surgery can’t bring it back. Hearing loss can occur over time after constant exposure to loud noises (e.g., working near an air compressor for hours a day, every day), or from a single, overwhelming sound (e.g., a steam explosion).
Hearing loss, though, isn’t the only risk of a loud environment. When noise interferes with proper hearing, workers can’t communicate easily with their teams or attend to warnings on the job-site, increasing the risk of personal and property accidents.
Defining hazardous noise
So, what is considered a loud noise? Noise is measured in units called decibels, and according to OSHA, environments with noise levels above 85 A-weighted decibels (dBA) require employees to have hearing protection.
For context, noise levels for heavy construction equipment range between 80 and 120 dBA. For example, a bulldozer can produce about 110 dBA. Handheld tools, such as jackhammers (130dBA) or cutting/welding equipment (115 dBA), are additional sources of high job-site noise.
For every 5-decibel increase in noise above the permissible limit, the duration of a worker’s exposure should be cut in half. For example, a crew member can work in a 90-dBA environment for eight hours, but can only work for four hours in a 95-dBA surrounding. The limit drops to two hours if the noise reaches 100 dBA.
The best way to gauge your exposure at a job-site is to measure the sound levels. NIOSH offers a free smartphone app that can easily and accurately provide information about hazardous noise levels.
If you don’t have access to a sound level meter, OSHA recommends using the “2-3-foot rule.” This rule means that if you are speaking to someone 2 or 3 feet away and you need to raise your voice to be heard, the noise level might be over 85 dBA – and you should wear hearing protection.
Your first lines of defense
When it comes to preventing damage from noise, the first thing that comes to mind is adequate PPE. However, in terms of the “hierarchy of controls” that should govern job-site safety, PPE is actually the last line of defense.
First, contractors should attempt to eliminate the source of noise exposure. Practically, this may prove very challenging: crews need their jackhammers and air compressors to get the job done. Next, they should think about substitution as a risk-mitigation measure. Here, contractors can replace equipment with quieter alternatives.
A more effective and realistic choice would be to reduce a worker’s exposure to hazardous noise. Implementing what are known as engineering controls and administrative controls, contractors may build temporary plywood barriers between the noise sources, adjust an employee’s schedule to limit their exposure, or simply move the offending equipment to a different place on the job-site. For example, position generators and other loud equipment farther away.
Selecting the right PPE
When choosing hearing PPE for your crews, make sure to pick equipment that will actually be worn. Some construction workers refuse to use hearing protection that is too hot or too uncomfortable. The least-effective PPE, Terrier says, is the one the stays in your pocket.
For any PPE, consider the noise reduction rating (NRR). An NRR measures how effective a device can be at reducing noise. The higher the NRR, the better it is at lowering the decibel level. For example, earplugs with an NRR of 25 can reduce the sound level by 25 decibels.
Here are some PPE options that may be right for your crews:
- Earplugs. Small and comfortable in hot environments, earplugs can be made from plastic, rubber, or expandable foam; they can even be customized to fit a person’s exact ear. Benefits include their relative affordability and compatibility with hard hats and goggles.
- Earmuffs. Covering the entire ear, earmuffs are heavier and less convenient than earplugs, but also provide strong protection. Earmuffs can be combined with earplugs when double levels of protection are needed in cases of extreme noise levels (e.g., jackhammering).
New earmuff technologies allow for easier communication. For example, electronic earmuffs contain noise-canceling technologies that can monitor sounds and then reduce them inside the earmuff to below 85 decibels.
- Canal caps. Somewhere between an earplug and earmuff, canal caps cover the entrance to the ear canals. Earplug tips are held by flexible bands that can be worn over the head, under the chin, or around the neck.
Terrier points out that hearing protection PPE is only as good as the training behind it. Take foam earplugs, for example. Many people simply stick them in and go. The correct way involves pulling the top of the ear up and back, inserting the plug into the canal, and then holding it there until it expands to form an airtight seal.
For training on earplug use and other hearing protection devices, Builders Mutual risk management consultants can help. We can provide a range of video Safety Toolbox Talks that can help supervisors instruct their crews on proper PPE techniques. Aside from PPE, we can also advise on engineering and administrative controls to reduce job-site noise levels.