Noise and Vibration

Employers should reduce the risk of hearing damage from exposure to noise out of the safe limits.

The potential effect of noise includes:

• • Permanent hearing loss, the temporary shift of an individual's hearing threshold.

  • Hearing damage-causing failure to hear some sounds.

  • Perception of warning alarms is impaired.

  • Distraction from safe systems of work.

The confined spaces in tunnels increase the effects of noise due to the reverberant sound field that could be developed with noisy tools and equipment (BS 6164: 19.1).

MUST KNOW

According to Alberta OHS Code, Part 16, Section 216

Employers must ensure that all reasonable and practicable measures are in place on the site in order to reduce the noise exposure to workers.

Exposure and Noise Emission

A construction Health and Safety plan should be put in place to control noise at the source. The plan should include the means to minimize noise emissions, including low noise tools. If such measures are not reasonably practicable or noise levels are still high, operators should be provided with personal hearing protection (BS 6164: 19.2.1).

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According to the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code (current as of January 1, 2019) an employer must follow the following:

According to Part 16, Section 217

Generally, when building a new worksite, having physical alterations, renovations or repairs to an existing worksite and introducing a new work process and significant equipment to the work site, an employer must ensure that the continuous noise levels are not more than 85 dBA or are as low as practicable.

According to Part 16, Section 222(1)

An employer must ensure that hearing protection equipment provided to workers exposed to excess noise:

(a) meets the requirements of CSA Standard Z94.2-02, Hearing Protection Devices — Performance, Selection, Care, and Use, and

(b) is of the appropriate class and grade as described in AOHS Schedule 3, Table 2.

According to Part 16, Section 222(2)

An employer must train the workers in the selection, use and maintenance of hearing protection equipment to be used at a work site according to the manufacturer’s specifications and ensure that affected workers are wearing the proper hearing protection equipment.

According to Part 16, Section 222(3)

Workers who need hearing protection equipment must wear and use the equipment in correct ways according to the training provided by the employer.

Tunnel Face

The selected tools and machines should be those of low noise emissions (BS 6164: 19.2.2).

Access

Whenever possible, noisy equipment should be placed away from the main tunnel access routes and workstations or noise levels should be kept under control (BS 6164: 19.2.3).

Noise Sources

Main sources of noise that should be considered include ventilation equipment, machinery, tools, and air leaks, especially under high pressure and blasting.

It is important to reduce the noise emission at the source by the use of silencers or acoustic screening.

During blasting, persons should be withdrawn from the face or hearing protection should be worn to reduce exposure to below safety limits (BS 6164: 19.2.4).

Communication

A safe communication system could be impaired by noisy environments through interfering with speech and warning alarms. Communication using headsets should take place to avoid removing of hearing protection to allow conversations (BS 6164: 19.2.5).

Vibration

General

Exposure to the vibration resulting from the operation of tools can be harmful to health. Vibration should be controlled at the source whenever possible by the use of equipment that has been engineered to eliminate vibration (BS 6164: 19.3.1)

Vibration Emission and Exposure

Whole-Body Vibration Exposure

When exposed to a sufficient magnitude of vibration, any part of the body may result injured. Discomfort and pain can be a result of an indication of a potential injury (BS 6164: 19.3.2.2).

Hand-arm Vibration Exposure

Persons with high levels of exposure to vibration can suffer from different kinds of injury, such as numbness and tingling sensation, and carpal tunnel injury.

To reduce exposure to vibration, the following actions should be taken into consideration (BS 6164: 19.3.2.3):

• job rotation;

• limit exposure period by task rotation;

• health surveillance;

• the use of low vibration tools and equipment.

MUST KNOW

Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code Relevant to the Topic

According to the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code (current as of January 1, 2019) an employer must follow the following:

According to Part 16, Section 218

An employer must ensure that a worker’s exposure to noise does not exceed

(a) the noise exposure limits in Schedule 3, Table 1, and

(b) 85 dBA Lex.

According to Part 16, Section 219(1)

An employer must do a noise exposure assessment if workers are or may be exposed to noise at a work site in excess of 85 dBA Lex and the noise exposure limits in table found in in AOHS Schedule 3, Table 1.

According to Part 16, Section 221(1)

An employer must develop and implement a noise management program that includes policies and procedures if a noise exposure assessment confirms that workers are exposed to excess noise limits at a work site.

According to Part 16, Section 221(2)

The employer must ensure that the noise management program should include:

(a) a plan of education about workers in the hazards of exposure to excess noise and to train workers to use control measures and hearing protection in correct ways;

(b) the methods and procedures which can measure or monitor worker exposure to noise;

(c) the posting of proper warning signs in any work area where the noise level is greater than 85 dBA;

(d) the methods of noise control to be used;

(e) the selection, use and maintenance of hearing protection devices to be worn by workers;

(f) the audiometric testing requirements and the test records maintenance;

(g) an annual review of the policies and procedures to address

     (i) the effectiveness of the education and training plan,

     (ii) the need for further noise measurement, and

     (iii) the adequacy of noise control measures.

According to Part 16, Section 221(3)

A worker who is subject to noise management must cooperate with the employer in

implementing the policies and procedures.

According to Part 16, Section 223(1)

An employer must provide, at the employer’s expense, the following audiometric tests for a worker exposed to excess noise:

(a) an initial baseline test as soon as is practicable, but not later than six months after the worker is employed or within six months after a worker is exposed to excess noise

because of a change in the worker’s duties or process conditions,

(b) not more than 12 months after the initial baseline test, and

(c) at least every second year after the test under clause (b).

According to Part 16, Section 224

If it is not reasonably practicable for a worker to undergo audiometric testing during the worker’s normal working hours, the employer must

(a) credit the time the worker spends to get the test done as time at work, and

(b) ensure that the worker does not lose any pay or other benefits because the worker was tested