It can be hard to identify background noise differentiation in noisy environments such as manufacturing and waste & recycling, especially when combined with enforced noise protection.
A visual alert system can provide a crucial additional layer of safety in such situations, supplementing auditory warnings that may be missed when a lorry pulls out of the warehouse or a forklift turns around the nearby bend as both sounds blend into the overall background ambience.
Combined however, active noise protection and a visual alert system can effectively reduce the risk to personnel of collisions with moving vehicles.
Hearing loss caused by noise in working environmentsÂ
Hearing loss caused by noise in a working environment is often referred to as occupational deafness and is recognised by law as a serious hazard to employee health and well-being. Unlike the immediate effect of body injuries, hearing loss can take years to manifest itself, but the consequential damage is permanent.
It is an employer’s responsibility to ensure daily personal noise exposure of that employee is likely to be less than 90 dB(A), and that the employee is provided with suitable and efficient personal ear protectors. Noise at work regulationsÂ
UK Law requires employers to:
- Carry out a risk assessment
- Take action to reduce exposure to noise hazards
- Provide employees and others in the workplace with personal hearing protection
- Ensure the legal limits on noise exposure are not exceeded
- Maintain and ensure the effective use of equipment provided to control noise risks
- Provide employees with training, information and instruction
- Carry out health surveillance (monitor workers’ hearing ability)
Active noise protectionÂ
Active noise protection such as noise-cancelling headsets is designed to protect workers hearing, usually with built-in radio functions to allow staff to communicate without the need to remove headsets, alarmingly this can eliminate background noise such as the sound of an approaching vehicle.
Relying on human hearing ALONE could result in serious pedestrian and vehicle collisions.
A visual workplace enhances safetyÂ
A visual workplace is anywhere that relies heavily on people’s sight in order to help prevent accidents and injuries. There are many different visual products that can be purchased or constructed to help enhance safety in your workplace.
Here are some of the most popular products that are on the market:Â
- Floor marking tape
- Safety labels
- Signs
- Safety lighting
- Visual clothing
- Visual barriers
- Visual safety boards
But what happens when sight AND hearing are impaired?Â
Some workplaces have excessive sounds that cannot be reduced and also have visual obstructions, be it racking, boxes and manufacturing products, walls or vehicles. When vehicles and pedestrians work in close proximity to one another, and you are unable to segregate the two, there is a significant risk of injury.
What can ‘see’ through these obstructions and doesn’t need to be heard?Â
ZoneSafe’s visual alert system significantly increases the safety of workers across your worksite.Â
There are many benefits to using ZoneSafe’s visual alert system on your worksite. Each proximity warning safety solution can be used as a stand-alone system or combined to create a complete site-wide safety solution.Â
- Full 360-degree proximity detection around vehicles
- Pedestrian alert warning for drivers
- Full line of site irrespective of obstructions
- Vibrating Tag Alert – approaching vehicle warning through vibration
- Vehicle-to-vehicle detection alert and warning
- Walkway and signage alert systems
The result:Â
- Reduce the risk of accidents
- Create safe working environments
- Provide invaluable site safety information
In summary, using active noise protection alongside a visual alert system ensures risk to workers is reduced.
Contact us for more information about how we can enhance the safety on your worksite today.
Call – +44 (0)1202 868000Â
Email – sales@zonesafe.com
Or complete our Contact Us form.
