Noise and Your Hearing

Why it matters

Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, painless, and sneaks up over years of saws, jackhammers, and demo. By the time you notice you are asking people to repeat themselves, the damage is done. If you have to raise your voice to be heard a metre away, the noise is loud enough to be hurting you.

Hazards

• ⚠ Long exposure to saws, grinders, jackhammers, and demolition
• ⚠ Sudden loud impact noise from tools and dropped material
• ⚠ Working close to someone else's loud plant all shift
• ⚠ Hearing protection that does not fit or is not worn

Controls and safe practices

• ✓ Manage noise under reg 56, reg 57, and reg 58: keep exposure below the standard, and control it at the source first.
• ✓ Choose quieter tools and methods, and maintain gear so it runs quieter.
• ✓ Provide and wear hearing protection rated for the noise where you cannot reduce it.
• ✓ Rotate workers out of high-noise tasks to limit exposure time.
• ✓ Put distance and barriers between people and the loudest plant.
• ✓ Get baseline and regular hearing checks where required.

Crew discussion questions

1. Which tasks on this site are loud enough to need hearing protection?
2. Is the protection we have rated for the noise, and does it fit?
3. Can we do any of the loud work with quieter gear?
4. Who is stuck next to loud plant all day?

Applicable WHS citations

reg 56, reg 57, reg 58

More toolbox talks

• White Cards and Site Induction
• The SWMS You Just Signed
• PPE: The Last Line, Not the First
• Formwork and Concrete Pours
• Demolition Work
• Heat and Fatigue

Talks by trade

ConcreterDemolitionAll toolbox talks

SWMS by trade

ConcreterDemolition