Noise Monitoring & Dust Monitoring

 

For organisations where noise and dust have been identified as workplace hazards, noise monitoring and dust monitoring is critical to ensure your business is complying with OHS legislation.

Undertaking regular and consistent monitoring is paramount, so you can improve conditions for your workers ongoing health and safety.

At Action OHS Consulting we work closely with you to establish noise monitoring and dust monitoring methodologies that are specific to their needs and operations.

If you would like further information regarding how Action OHS Services can assist you with noise monitoring and dust monitoring, please do not hesitate to contact us

 

ARRANGE A TIME

 

 


 

What are the health risks?

Acute and long-term overexposure to either workplace noise or workplace dust has been found to lead to health problems.

 

Dust

Dust has also been shown to result in occupational illness. Atmospheric dust has been associated with lung disorders and diseases.

One of these diseases is pneumoconiosis, which is a general term for lung diseases caused by dust inhalation. Another you may know of is silicosis.

There has been a significant increase in diseases related to the exposure of workers to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS), the Workplace Exposure Limits (WES) have been reduced from 0.1 mg/m3 to 0.05 mg/m3. The members of Safe Work Australia have recommended that this be further reduced to 0.025 mg/m3, (not yet been accepted by the States and legislated.)

Legislation requires PCBU/employers who work with products that contain >1% crystalline silica (e.g. Construction, Mining, Quarrying, Engineered stone industries) to understand the risk and implement controls. In order to assess the risk, you may be required by law to conduct personal dust exposure monitoring.

 

Noise

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss is a significant health and economic problem in Australia.

Between July 2002 and June 2007 there were approximately 16,500 successful workers’ compensation claims for industrial deafness involving permanent impairment due to noise (SWA,  2010).

 

 


 

Legislative requirements regarding dust and noise monitoring 

The OHS legislation outlines Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) / Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for both noise and dust exposure. This places a responsibility on employers to implement noise and dust management plans, no matter what the industry.

Both the noise monitoring exposure limits and dust monitoring exposure limits are consistent across all jurisdictions in Australia. The noise exposure limits have been adopted within the Health and Safety Legislation. 

 

Noise Monitoring

It is legislated across all State jurisdictions in Australia that:

  • Hearing protection is to be provided if the eight-hour equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level is not less than 85 dB(A); and,
  • If a worker’s exposure to peak noise level reaches 140 dB(C).

Dust Monitoring

Safe Work Australia in its Workplace Exposure Standards Airborne Contaminants outline the exposure limits.

However, the exposure limits vary depending on the dust source.  

 

Noise Monitoring | Dust Monitoring

 


 

 

Your duty with respect to dust and noise protection 

Employers have a duty to provide a safe workplace. When appropriate, quantifying a workers exposure to workplace noise and dust hazards is critical in order to assist workplaces in managing these OHS risks.

To achieve a safe working environment, the following events should be the minimum driver for a business (that has both noise and dust hazards in their workplace) to complete noise monitoring or dust monitoring assessments:

  • As a minimum, every two to five-year period. Noise monitoring and dust monitoring should be carried out to identify changes in noise and dust exposure as a result of factors which may include:
    • Deterioration of plant and equipment
    • Changes in work procedures
    • New production processes, and
    • Demonstrating the effectiveness of established noise controls.
  • Supplementary noise monitoring and/or dust monitoring surveillance should be completed where new plant and equipment has been introduced to the workplace, where work practices have changed, or in areas where regular monitoring is required to check changes in exposure due to seasonal or workload related factors, and
  • Noise monitoring and/or dust monitoring surveillance is to be completed following trends being identified through workers compensation claim data, audiometric testing, or concerns that are raised via the Health and Safety Committee.

 


 

Action OHS Consulting’s Dust and Noise Monitoring Services

Our Noise Monitoring and Dust Monitoring services include:

  • Establishing a noise monitoring and/or dust monitoring scope of work specific to your needs
  • Undertaking noise exposure monitoring (AS 2399)
  • Undertaking inhalable dust (AS 3640) and respirable dust (AS 2985) exposure monitoring
  • Undertaking respirable crystalline silica (RCS) or quartz exposure monitoring
  • Reviewing hearing and dust management programs
  • Establishing the requirements of personal hearing protection, and
  • Undertaking noise awareness training for workers and management.

NB: Action OHS Consulting is licenced by the NSW Resources Regulator to undertake sampling of airborne dust Sampling under the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022 Licence No. MLA 0018492

Each service offering is completed in line with the relevant Australian Standards. For noise monitoring or dust monitoring, Action OHS Consulting will include the methodology used and findings from the monitoring in a concise report that will ensure that all findings and recommendation are effectively communicated and documented. We also only use NATA accredited laboratories, so you can be confident in the results of our dust and noise monitoring.

Of course, Action OHS Consulting can also help with a variety of other things, such as setting up safety management systems, assisting with health and safety audits, and more. See a selection of our services;

COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY AUDITS

Our auditors are accredited Lead OHSMS Auditors with Exemplar Global (RABQSA). Learn more about our audit services.

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

We design well-planned and structured management systems that comply with safety legislation, relevant Australian and International standards, and your needs.

SHORT & LONG TERM SECONDMENTS

We offer the in-house health and safety support you need, when you need it, with our highly experienced consulting staff.

 


 

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