Noise Level Monitoring

Measuring noise levels and workers’ noise exposures is the most important part of a workplace hearing conservation and noise control program. It helps identify work locations where there are noise problems, employees who may be affected, and where additional noise measurements need to be made.

For occupational hygiene purposes, the sound pressure level is measured to determine noise exposures. Various instruments and techniques may be used. The choice depends on the workplace noise and the information needed. However, the first step is to determine if there is a noise problem in the workplace.

The first step is to determine whether or not noise is a potential problem in your workplace. A walk-through survey helps in making this decision. The indicators of potentially hazardous noise level include:

• Noise is louder than busy city traffic.
• People have to raise their voice to talk to someone at one metre (3 feet) away.
• At the end of work shift people have to increase the volume of their radio or TV to a level too loud for others.
• After working for a few years at that workplace, employees find it difficult to communicate in a crowd or party situation where there are other sounds or many voices.

Noise measurement data from studies in similar situations are very helpful in assessing the potential noise problem.