Noise can be a serious safety hazard. The energy levels of noise may not be dangerous, but it can cause fatigue and stress to employees who regularly work near noisy equipment.
It is important to control industrial noise as it can lead to workers' hearing loss and other health problems!
Why is it Important to Control Noise?
Noise is a pollutant and can cause hearing loss, stress and fatigue, sleep disturbance, annoyance and even heart disease. Noise pollution is defined as unwanted sound which interferes with the enjoyment of life or work.
It affects the quality of people’s lives by reducing their exposure to natural sounds such as birdsong or wind rustling through trees. Industrial noise levels can exceed 85 dB(A). If this continues for more than eight hours per day without ear protection then it could lead to workers suffering from permanent hearing damage.
This means that employees need to be provided with adequate protective clothing and equipment such as earmuffs or earplugs when working in high-noise environments.
1. Add Absorptive Material in the Room
The first step towards industrial noise control is to add an absorptive material in the room. Absorptive materials are soft and efficient at absorbing sound waves, which helps reduce noise levels in industrial settings.
Absorbent materials can be made of wool, cotton, or fibreglass (among other things). The right type of material depends on your application: if you're trying to control wind noise caused by a fan blade hitting an enclosure then acoustic foam may be more effective than wool!
If you're trying to block out high-frequency sounds from a furnace then fibreglass might work better than foam; etc. Properly selecting the right material will help make sure that it performs as intended!
2. Install Sound Curtains around the Compressors
Sound curtains are an effective way to control noise in an industrial environment. The installation of sound barriers is not only beneficial for preventing physical damage, but also can save money in the long run.
If you’re interested in installing sound curtains around your compressors, here are some tips:
- Measure the noise level before and after installation. This will give you a good idea about how well the sound curtains are working and help you determine if any adjustments need to be made.
- Use a curtain that fits your specific needs. There’s no one size fits all solution when it comes to purchasing or manufacturing these products, so be sure that whatever type of curtain you choose will work best for each individual unit (this includes thickness and material).
3. Put up a Sound Barrier System over the Room
If you have a sound barrier system over the room, it will help to reduce the noise inside. This can be done by using a variety of materials including:
- Fibreglass or fibreglass board: This is made from glass fibres that are woven together and compressed into panels. It is available in different thicknesses and insulation values (R-values).
- Cement fibre board: As with fibreglass boards, cement fibre boards are also made from glass fibres but instead of being compressed into panels they are formed into sheets which are then pressed between two flat surfaces.
4. Build a Room within a Room
One of the easiest ways to reduce noise is to build a room within a room. This can be done by using sound panels, curtains and other soundproofing materials.
Make sure that the room is well insulated. Also use soundproofing materials on the walls and ceiling of this inner room so that no outside noise can enter through it.
5. Use Enclosure around the Compressors
A noise enclosure is a barrier that prevents noise from escaping. It can be made of metal or plastic and can take the form of a box, cylinder, or other shape.
Noise enclosures are commonly used around compressors and fans in industrial applications. A single enclosure has one opening on its top side for easy access. Multiple enclosures have multiple openings for easy access to different components within the same enclosure space.
They also allow for easier maintenance by allowing access to each component without having to open multiple doors inside an enclosed space (which could result in hazardous conditions due to lack of airflow).
6. Use Silencers at the Exhaust of the Compressor
Another way for compressor noise control is to install silencers. Silencers are a type of muffler and can be installed on a pipe, duct or rail in order to reduce the intensity of sound.
They are used for controlling noise from fans, compressors, pumps and other equipment that produce loud sounds during operation. Silencers can be manufactured out of different materials such as steel or fibreglass depending on their application requirements such as power rating and pressure loss.
Therefore it is important that you choose the right material which meets your needs in terms of cost efficiency
7. Add Lagging to Pipes, Ducts and Rails!
To reduce noise, you will have to add lagging to your pipes, ducts and rails. Lagging is the use of insulation on these items. Lagging reduces noise by reducing vibrations. There are many ways you can add lagging to pipes, ducts and rails:
- You can add it over them as extra protection against external environmental factors that may contribute to noise levels in your workplace (e.g., heat). If this is the case, choose a material that does not conduct electricity or heat well (e.g., rubber) so that there are no risks involved in using it!
- You can also use an existing pipe/duct by insulating it from within with an appropriate material such as fibreglass wool or glass fibre insulation batts - depending on what type of pipe/duct you have available at hand!
8. Upgrade or Replace the Equipment with Newer Technology
The last method to control industrial noise is to upgrade or replace the equipment with newer technology.
Newer, more efficient machinery will be quieter than older machinery, and in some cases, it can also save energy. For example, a new combustion engine will use less fuel than an old one—and therefore generate less noise.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand how industrial noise can be controlled. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below!
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