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a vacuum cleaner, so OSH professionals
in most industries will need to assess and
manage risks appropriately.’
Employers must also consider their
capacity to support hearing-impaired the risk of hearing damage is high or any
workers and those who develop hearing loss, FAILING TO MONITOR hearing impairment has been detected,
recognising existing challenges as well NOISE CAN LEAVE an annual health review is imperative.
as the need for prevention. Workplace modifications, developing a

COMPANIES OPEN policy to purchase low-emission tools, and
Noise vigilance setting up routine maintenance to maintain
James Lackovic CertIOSH and Calvin TO LITIGATION equipment, for example, are all sensible
Hanks CMIOSH at Calvin Hanks Safety tactics to reduce risks to workers.
Services say the consequences of failing ‘Data collected from noise monitoring
to monitor noise can leave companies James and Calvin say that companies should serve as a compass to assess the
open to litigation from civil claims made should assess the risk ‘as you would do with adequacy of control measures,’ they say.
by employees as well as prosecution for any work activity’. ‘When these measures fall short, it is
breach of legislation. Shawcity product specialist managers incumbent upon all involved to adhere
‘Those of you that have been on any kind Gabriela Gonçalves and Ben Crane to the hierarchy of controls, prioritising
of OSH course know that we have legal, recommend that OSH professionals conduct elimination and substitution before

financial and moral reasons to monitor routine noise monitoring, particularly after resorting to PPE. However, PPE becomes

health and safety,’ they explain. procedure modifications, and maintain a mandatory when noise exposure surpasses
‘But if we drill down to the details, if vigilant eye on noise levels and the working the 85dB(A) threshold.’
there’s poor control of noise, there are likely environment each time new tools or Neal Muggleton, chief operating

further issues, which will result in a poor machinery are introduced. officer at hearing protection specialists
They add that both employers and OSH
health and safety culture. This itself can
Minuendo, says it is important that
ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK lead to a high rate of staff turnover as well as professionals bear the responsibility of companies find a way to accurately monitor

levels in the workplace, but he adds that
establishing a baseline health surveillance
a range of other issues for the organisation

at the start of employment. In cases where
‘noise is different for everybody’, even if
and its staff .’
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