3 Major Benefits of Effective Noise Control in a Manufacturing Environment
The term noise control refers to the mitigation or elimination of undesirable sound in the space under consideration. There are several key benefits of reducing the effects of this type of noise. This is all the more important and true in the case of manufacturing industries where high noise levels can have negative impact on the quality and efficiency of operations of both humans and machines. In order to avoid this affected business units must search for effective methods to reduce the, physical, environmental, and psychological effect of this unwelcome by-product of the process of manufacture. The three methods are as follows:
1. Improve Quality Control
The first important reason for implementing noise control in a manufacturing environment is that too much of noise can affect the quality standards within the unit negatively. Excessive unwanted noise can create harmful levels of vibrations causing wrong data to be recorded and reduce the sensitivity of precision equipment. The inaccurate data recorded can interfere with the manufacturing process and can change or even damage the real outcome. Therefore, it is important that the environment must be freed from that excess noise to ensure the proper working of the machinery and operating systems.
2. Improve Health and Well-Being
Workers getting exposed to too much of high noise continuously can have serious health problems. Some of the health issues associated with exposure to high noise are tinnitus (or ringing in the ears), chronic headache, and temporary or permanent loss of hearing. Still more disturbing fact is that constant and too long exposure to high noise level has been found to be the reason for considerable increases in stress levels as well as systolic blood pressure. Research has also proved that over a period of time, those exposed to high levels of uncontrolled noise in the work place can be victims of have high negative consequences on their overall health which will also affect the quality of life. Luckily, controlling exposure to this environment and wearing ear protection gadgets can mitigate and even reverse these effects in some cases.
3. Reduce Costs to the Employer
Besides causing serious health problems for those workers who are exposed to uncontrolled noise at work places, employers also face challenges like absenteeism due to employee sick days, higher health premiums and loss of productivity. Also, increased noise levels can lead to work place accidents and injuries due to masking of warning signals and signs. This may force the employers by law to devise and implement safety measures by effective solutions for noise control. Notwithstanding the mandate by law, it will be wiser for the employer to put into place effective noise control methods. It will further boost the employees’ morale.
Noise in a manufacturing setting is unavoidable. But, employers can initiate steps to control the negative impact created by high noise levels by implementing of good noise control methods.