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Engineering controls for existing plant and workplaces
The need for noise control should be considered when deciding production methods or processes and when the need to reduce noise exposure has been established. There are three basic engineering noise control measures:
- engineering treatment of the source
- engineering treatment of the noise transmission path
- engineering treatment at the receiver
For detailed information of all the options for reducing noise through engineering controls, check Section 5 of the Noise Advisory Standard 2004 (now known as a Code of Practice).
Examples of engineering controls can include:
- reducing noisy machine operations by replacing rivets with welds
- redesigning machinery power sources to give quiet speed regulation through the use for example of stepless electric motors
- avoiding metal-to metal contact by using plastic bumpers
- repairing loose and rotating parts, replacing worn bearings and gears and regular maintenance
- adding noise barriers, noise enclosures, vibration isolation mountings, laggings, mufflers and silencers where appropriate to reduce noise at source
- absorbing acoustic shock by providing wear resistant rubber or plastic coatings
- using conveyor belts rather than rollers
- stiffening and fixing damping materials to panels and other surfaces to reduce vibration and noise impact of items during processing
Other ways of reducing noise through engineering controls include:
- using a sound-reducing enclosure which fully encloses the machine(s)
- separating the noisy area and area to be quietened by a sound reducing partition
- using sound-absorbing material on floors, ceiling and/or walls to reduce the sound level due to reverberation
- using sound-absorbing baffles between workers and the noise source
- using acoustical silencers in intake and exhaust systems associated with gaseous flow activity, for example, internal combustion exhaust systems or air conditioning systems
For a more detailed list of engineering options, check section Section 5.2 of the Noise Advisory Standard 2004 (now known as a Code of Practice).
Last updated 21 August 2008