6. Noise

Noise exposure is a hazard to anyone within the area, not just the operator using the machinery.

Noise can cause long-term, irreversible damage to the ear and can significantly reduce the ability to hear conversations, which means that it can lead to communication issues within the workplace.

This can also lead to other hazards, e.g. not being able to hear colleague instructions or not hearing approaching forklift trucks. Exposure to noise can cause permanent and irreversible damage to individuals, (both physical and psychological) which significantly reduces a person’s ability to hear and go about normal day-to-day activities.

Typical effects include: Acoustic shock/ear-drum damage Tinnitus – ringing in the ears Temporary/permanent threshold shift – this is a shift in the frequencies that the ear can hear...

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Noise exposure is a hazard, what can you do to reduce the risk?

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