Sometimes when builders think about noise on a jobsite, they consider how the constant, high-decibel sounds of drilling, crushing and sawing will affect locals and their businesses. But it also can severely impact the workers building the project.
According to Brigade Electronics Inc., hearing loss is a serious issue for construction workers, with studies showing that occupational noise exposure causes between 7 and 21 percent of hearing loss in workers across all industries. But Corey Heniser, a vehicle safety expert at Brigade, says there are ways to prevent noise pollution on job sites.
“Power tools are being adapted and developed to be quieter, and hearing protection can be worn when it is safe to do so,” he writes. “Some noises, such as the tonal ‘beep, beep’ of vehicle reversing alarms can be eliminated entirely using the latest backup alarms on the market.”
For example, multi-frequency alarms emit a “ssh-ssh” sound which is much softer on a worker’s ear. “The alarm can therefore be instantly located and heard only in the danger zone,” he says.
