Industrial noise

Industrial noise, or occupational noise, is often a term used in relation to environmental health and safety, rather than nuisance, as sustained exposure can cause permanent hearing damage. Industrial noise or occupational noise is the amount of acoustical energy (noise) received by an employees auditory system while they are working.

"Twenty-two million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise at work each year. Last year, U.S. business paid more than $1.5 million in penalties for not protecting workers from noise." - OSHA

Industrial noise is an occupational hazard linked to traditionally loud industries such as ship-building, Mining, railroad work, Welding and Construction. Industrial noise, if experienced repeatedly, at a high intensity, for an extended period of time, can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL caused by industrial noise can be classified as occupational hearing loss.

Modern thinking in occupational safety and health further identifies noise as hazardous to workers' safety and health. This hazard is experienced in various places of employment and through a variety of sources.

Noise, in the context of industrial noise, is hazardous to a persons hearing because of its loud intensity through repeated long-term exposure. In order for Noise to cause Hearing impairment for the worker, the noise has to be close enough, loud enough and the listener has to be exposed for long enough. These factors have been taken into account by the governing occupational health and safety organizations as they determine the unsafe noise exposure levels and durations for their respective industries.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have all set standards on hazardous occupational noise in their respective industries. Each industry is different, as workers tasks and equipment differ, but most regulations agree that noise becomes hazardous when it exceeds 85 Decibel, for an 8-hour exposure (typical work shift). This relationship between allotted noise level and exposure time is known as an Exposure action value (EAV) or Permissible exposure limit (PEL). The EAV or PEL can be seen as equations which manipulate the allotted exposure time according to the intensity of the industrial noise. This equation works as an inverse relationship. As the industrial noise intensity increases, the allotted exposure time, to still remain safe, decreases.

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