Soundproofing companies serve an important role in keeping industrial workers safe from exposure to dangerous levels of noise. Protection methods like soundproof fiberglass panels, ceiling baffles, and foam all help with containing excessive noises in the workplace. Singer Safety Company specializes in producing these state-of-the-art products to help protect workers from noise exposure. To understand where they are best applied, soundproofing experts can perform audits and walkthroughs that map out the sound levels in each area of a work site. But before we begin to discuss any of the nuances of controlling noise, how do we define industrial noise pollution?
What is Industrial Noise Pollution?
Industrial noise pollution is the term for excessive sound produced in manufacturing and construction work sites as well as other large centers like factories and shipyards. The reason it is referred to as pollution is because it emanates outwards from its source impacting the health and wellness of all people in its range. It exceeds the boundaries of healthy exposure to sound and even damages local plant and animal life. One of the primary groups harmed by industrial noise is industrial workers. Exposure to loud noise significantly decreases workplace productivity in several ways. Firstly, it makes it harder for workers to concentrate. This is perhaps the most direct impact noise has on productivity. It is simply difficult to focus on a task if you are exposed to loud noises. In precise tasks, like steel foundry crane operators, distractions can lead to deaths and massive property damage.
Secondly, noise pollution disrupts workplace productivity by interrupting communication. Communication disruptions not only make it more difficult to work efficiently but also increase the risk of mistakes. This also leads to frustrating experiences for workers, which can impact their motivation and morale. Thirdly, industrial noise pollution itself has negative psychological effects separate from impacting the environment of the workplace. Long-term exposure to loud noises increases stress and can impact a worker’s sleep quality. This snowballs into other issues like anxiety, headaches, fatigue, and more. Lastly, exposure to loud noises causes irreversible hearing loss. Under OSHA requirements, workers cannot be exposed to more than 85 decibels of noise averaged across the working day. Noise exposure above this threshold can cause permanent hearing loss.
Types of Industrial Soundproofing
To prevent this, workplaces buttress their machinery with industrial soundproofing. This functions in three primary ways: altered industrial practices reduce the amount of noise that processes might produce, soundproofing experts install measures to reduce reverberation in a loud space, and/or the experts use screens and other safety products to block and dissipate the sound directly. The first method is not widely applicable since many industrial machines cannot operate more quietly. They are not designed with that capability in mind. Reducing reverberation is not always impactful since the sounds produced by machines will still make direct contact with workers’ eardrums even if echoing noise is hampered. Therefore, the most reliable method is containing the sound.
There are many methods to block sound that vary depending on the shape and location of the source. Modular acoustic screens are a popular solution since they are flexible and easily shaped and moved according to the needs of the space. Singer Safety offers modular screens in multiple materials that block different volumes of sound, usually in the range of 4-15 decibels depending on their usage. Another noise reduction solution offered by some soundproofing companies, including Singer Safety, is ceiling baffles, which are a hanging grid of fiberglass panels attached to a ceiling. They are a preferred option for large spaces with high ceilings or limited wall space since they are very effective at breaking up loud noise.
Fiberglass panels can also be attached to walls and other flat surfaces to supplement the benefits of baffles and screens. In some work sites, it is even possible to enclose parts of machinery with vertical panels to reduce noise at the source. They cancel noise on both sides, accomplishing a double duty of reducing direct noise from their enclosed machine and absorbing reverberating noise from the room. Acoustic foams are an excellent supplement as well to any effort to reduce industrial noise pollution. It can be freely reshaped and resized to fit on doors, smaller surfaces, or other parts of the room. Soundproofing experts recommend using multiple types of industrial soundproofing for the best results.
How Soundproofing Experts Can Help
To reduce industrial noise pollution, you need to know the best places in your industrial site to target these solutions. Given how complex the scientific study of acoustics is, you will be best served consulting soundproofing experts. Soundproofing companies can assist you with a noise audit. The first step in this process is a walkthrough where experts survey the noise levels throughout an entire floor plan. They construct a map of high-volume areas using sensitive, technologically advanced instruments. This gives you solid data points from which you can establish your industrial soundproofing plan. The most helpful part of the walk-through is identifying the places where workers are at the most risk of dangerous noise exposure. The full process of a noise survey is much more complex and serves to evaluate the current effectiveness of noise control measures. Experts can also use this information to help you weigh your options for future noise pollution control efforts.
Singer Safety Company’s Soundproofing Pedigree
Singer Safety Company is one of America’s most trusted names in industrial safety. We provide an extensive range of products across industries as disparate as car washes, gymnasiums, and sewage processing plants. Our specialty, however, lies in industrial safety barriers, partitions, curtains, and screens. While these often have industry-specific applications, the uniting factor across all of our safety barrier products is their high quality and durability. Whether we are providing rolling curtains for your car detailing business or vinyl strip doors for your meat processing plant’s climate control, you can trust Singer Safety to deliver a product that exceeds your expectations. Our noise control systems are renowned for their effectiveness. Visit our website for a quote and more information.