What are the best ways to mitigate noise hazards?

Netizen Pan Xingfeng: Teachers and experts are always helpful. My mother works in a very noisy environment, and there are earplugs available at the factory. However, because of her job, she rarely uses them. I’m wondering if there are other ways to reduce the risk of noise exposure. For example, are there good methods to recover after work? Thank you, looking forward to your response.

Expert Reply

Li Xiaokuan (Researcher, Professional Committee on Noise and Vibration Control, Chinese Occupational Safety and Health Association):

The original question didn’t specify the exact noise level in the workplace or the reason why earplugs aren’t used. Without this information, it’s hard to provide a targeted answer. So, I’ll give a general explanation about noise protection and hearing safety.

Noise doesn’t just harm hearing directly—it can also affect other parts of the body over time, like causing stress, sleep problems, or even cardiovascular issues. The key is that these effects are usually cumulative and not immediate.

Hearing protection standards are based on the equivalent sound level over an 8-hour workday. This is essentially an average of the energy from the noise. You can measure this using a sound level meter or a sound exposure meter, or calculate it by considering different noise levels across different time periods.

According to research from many scholars and institutions, the occupational noise limit is set at 85 dB(A). This standard ensures that more than 90% of workers won’t suffer from noise-induced hearing loss. Most countries around the world follow this guideline. If the noise level increases by 3 dB(A), the allowable exposure time is halved. The maximum safe level is 115 dB(A).

To fully assess the noise situation in the workplace, both the environmental noise levels and the actual exposure of employees need to be measured. For areas where noise exceeds safe limits, engineering solutions such as sound insulation, sound absorption, noise reduction, and vibration isolation should be applied.

Measuring personal noise exposure helps determine the level of hearing protection needed. Employees should choose the right type of ear protection and use it correctly. Additionally, managing exposure time through shift rotation, job rotation, or process adjustments can help reduce overall exposure. According to the equal energy principle, every 3 dB increase in noise means half the working time.

When dealing with noise pollution, control efforts are typically divided into three main areas: controlling the noise source (the most effective solution), reducing noise during transmission (commonly used), and protecting the individual (the most direct method). When the first two measures aren’t possible, individual protection becomes the last line of defense.

I suggest that your mother understand the noise conditions in her workplace and check whether it could lead to hearing damage. She should also find out what steps her employer is taking to reduce noise. If the noise level is above standard, she must use ear protection properly and try to avoid high-noise environments after work.

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