Safety Supplies How To's

Noise hazards, what every construction worker should know to prevent them

Posted on by Christine Cascio
24
May

Many construction tasks, tools and equipment produce high noise levels. Exposure to these noise levels can lead to temporary or permanent hearing loss.

Hearing Loss

Prolonged exposure to excessive noise, above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. The type of equipment being operated is one factor contributing to the level of noise hazard that can affect hearing. When one is exposed to excessive noise levels, the first stage is temporary hearing loss. Exposure over time makes hearing loss permanent. That’s because damage to hearing is cumulative and when one is exposed to constant noise daily, from 9 am to 5 pm, hearing loss can become permanent. How long the noise lasts and how close you are to the source are important factors in determining the impact to your hearing.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN NOISE IS A PROBLEM AT YOUR WORKPLACE?

If you must raise your voice to have a normal conversation when standing about a meter apart, then noise levels on the site could damage hearing. There could also be a problem if there are sudden extremely loud noises on the site, or if at the end of the day you notice that your hearing is muffled, or your ears are ringing.

According to OSHA you may have hearing loss if:

  • You have a hard time hearing people in groups or meetings or if there is background noise.
  • People sound as if they are mumbling.
  • You have to ask people to repeat what they say.
  • You have trouble understanding others on the telephone.
  • You have ringing or noises in one or both ears.
  • You have trouble hearing back-up alarms or the ringing of a cell phone.

Safety Gear

Protect yourself all the time by wearing specially crafted clothing and gear to preserve your hearing and overall physical health. Workers on site must be protected all the time by wearing safety gears that are tough.

When it comes to buying your safety gear, you need products as tough as your workers. At SSU, we provide safety gear to protect you in every construction task.

We also offer on-site assessments, safety consulting and expert training in different locations both in New York and New Jersey. Shop for safety products online, download the catalog, or just give us a call. We are always ready to send your workers home safe every day.