Noise source Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Noise source - Essay Example A very common workplace hazard is noise pollution experienced. For example, noise of an in-house generator in the maintenance building affecting the officers working in a nearby building of a business complex. As per energy conservation policy the complex is run on generator for a specific time period every day from 12 noon to 3 p.m. Work timing of the nearby offices are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week and lunch break is from 1 a.m. to 2 p.m. Employer has provided ear plugs or muffs (PPE) as a common control measure to each employees when discomfort was voiced, however the problem remained with employees getting disturbed and anxious also showing poor performance and low productivity especially during the generator on-timings. Even customers calling in or visiting the office during the time complained and showed discomfort to the noise being generated along with the smell of burnt fuel prevalent in the air. Company should not completely rely on PPE and let the discomfort affect the productivity and results of the company. They should make their Health Safety & Environmental Policy more effective by adopting a number of control measures than can improve the working conditions since the exposure is a daily recurring scenario. An engineering treatment for the problem can be either at the source or at the noise transmission path or at the receiver. Generator being a noisy component is already placed in a separate building; however the noise reaches outside and is unavoidable. The generator cannot be enclosed in a sound absorbent enclosure since it requires proper ventilation and cooling systems. However the office building and other surrounding building can be made sound proof by fitting sound absorbent materials such as flexible or fixed screens / windows or curtains of sound absorbent material that can prevent or lower the level of noise from outside entering the building. This would also require the building to have