Excessive noise can be a significant hazard both in and outside of a working environment. In an industrial facility, it is especially important to keep your workers safe and protected from the dangers of noise exposure. One excellent way to accomplish this is to implement soundproof blankets.
This article will dissect why soundproof blankets are so valuable to industrial facilities. We will highlight why noise can be so harmful to your workers and how a sound dampening blanket can help protect everyone in your facility. We will also discuss the differences between industrial curtains and noise blankets and go over how to hang soundproof blanket materials in your facility.
The Impact of Noise Hazards
Before diving into how to hang soundproof blanket materials and more, it is important to understand why a sound blanket is even necessary in industrial settings. Noise is one of the most common hazards seen in industrial facilities and can have a number of severe health effects.
Exposure to high decibels of sound can cause temporary or permanent damage to your hearing or eardrums. Temporary hearing loss and distraction can occur when in the facility, which can make it difficult for people to accomplish their tasks safely. Additionally, exposure to persistent loud noise without breaks can result in permanent hearing damage and even permanent hearing loss. Keeping your workers safe and healthy is essential in any workplace; industrial settings need to use noise control systems as a part of these protections.
Some of the most common forms of noise hazards include:
- Recreational: Noise generated in the workplace, like manufacturing facilities or construction sites. This is the most common industrial noise hazard.
- Occupational: Noise generated by leisure activities like concerts, festivals, sporting events, and more.
- Impulse: A very sudden and short loud noise, such as a gunshot, firework, or sledgehammer blow.
- Environmental: Any excess noise in your surrounding environment, such as trains or industrial activities.
Types of Noise Prevention and Dampening
Now that we have discussed different types of noise hazards and the ways that noise can be so harmful to industrial workers, it is important to highlight the ways in which you can prevent excessive and dangerous noise in the workplace. There are plenty of different noise control systems and sound dampening options that you can choose from, made to suit a variety of industries:
- Fiberglass Panels: Lightweight and semi-flexible, these panels are excellent supplements to curtains and blankets. They are built to help cancel sound and reduce noise.
- Ceiling Baffles: These hang from the ceiling and help reduce reverberations in large rooms or open facility floors.
- Acoustic Screens: Acoustic screens help create strong barriers that block sound out of a specific area, keeping a space quieter.
- Acoustic Foams: Foams help absorb sound, keeping a space quieter and preventing sound from bouncing.
- Noise Blankets and Industrial Curtains: Noise blankets and large industrial curtains can serve as walls, or soundproof blankets can be hung over existing walls to absorb sound. A sound dampening blanket is incredibly helpful in absorbing sound and creating soundproof workspaces.
Sound Blanket vs. Industrial Curtain
In the previous section, soundproof blankets and industrial curtains are grouped together in a singular type of soundproofing. So, what is the difference?
There are a few notable differences between industrial curtains and sound blankets, but there are also plenty of similarities. For example, both are built to serve the same purpose: reducing harmful noise and creating a quieter workspace.
An industrial curtain is a large, heavy-duty curtain that can serve as a wall or barrier to partition out space in your facility. Industrial curtains will often have different capabilities in addition to partitioning, such as being fire-proof or sound dampening.
A soundproof blanket, on the other hand, is built exclusively for the purpose of dampening or removing sound. These blankets are specially made for this purpose; you cannot just use any blanket on hand to accomplish noise reduction. Some sound dampening blankets are meant to be draped over the noise source to reduce sound emissions. You can also hang a soundproof blanket from the ceiling in order to cover the walls or other hard, reflective surfaces.
While industrial curtains and sound blankets both serve the same purpose of reducing noise in industrial facilities, industrial curtains have additional capabilities that a sound blanket does not possess.
Hanging A Sound Dampening Blanket
Now that we have discussed the differences between industrial curtains and soundproof blankets, we can dive into how to hang soundproof blankets in your facilities. It may surprise you to learn that hanging these blankets is actually not that difficult! All you need is the right hardware. At Singer Safety, we carry a full line of industrial curtain and blanket hardware, perfect for mounting and hanging your blankets. You can set your curtains and blankets in a stationary position against the ceiling, or you can choose to set up tracks so you can easily move and reconfigure your setup.
Soundproofing Blankets and More from Singer
Soundproof blankets and industrial curtains are excellent ways to help prevent hearing damage in your facility. By keeping your workers safe, you can improve efficiency, morale, and more. Plus, industrial curtains and sound dampening blankets are extremely cost-efficient ways of reducing noise in the workplace.
At Singer Safety, we are dedicated to offering the highest quality safety equipment possible to every industry. Whether you are looking for welding screens, industrial curtains, or a quality sound blanket, our team of experts at Singer Safety can help set you up with the right equipment for success. We even carry all the tools you need to hang soundproof blankets or industrial curtains in your workplace for whatever needs you have. In addition to soundproof blankets, we carry a variety of customizable noise-control solutions built to help you protect your workplace, such as fiberglass panels, ceiling baffles, and more.
Contact our team at Singer Safety today to reduce noise in your facility.
