How to handle construction site noise

Just how loud is construction site noise? To put this in perspective, normal conversation registers around 60 decibels, while a lawnmower reaches about 90 decibels. But construction sites regularly exceed even these levels.

For construction workers, prolonged exposure to noise levels of 85 dBA over eight hours can cause permanent hearing damage. Yet monitoring shows that common construction activities routinely surpass this threshold:

• Laying metal deck: 99.6 decibels
• Using roto hammer: 95.1 decibels
• Chipping concrete: 102.9 decibels
• Grinding: 97 decibels
• Welding: 91.2 decibels
• Installing trench conduit: 95.8 decibels

The impact on workers is significant. According to the CDC, approximately 14 percent of noise-exposed construction workers suffer from hearing impairment, and 7 percent experience tinnitus. These conditions affect not just job performance, but quality of life.

The challenge is clear, but so is the solution. With proper hearing protection and noise management strategies, construction sites can protect their most valuable asset—their people. This article examines practical approaches to managing construction site noise effectively.

Construction site noise limits

With noise levels posing a risk to health and safety, construction site noise regulations govern noise exposure and the use of hearing protection. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) summarises the Control of Noise at Work Regulations as follows. 

• Employers must provide hearing protection and should enforce its use when noise levels reach 85 decibels for average daily or weekly exposure.
• Employers must assess hearing loss risks and employees must receive training on how to protect their hearing when noise levels are in the region of 80 decibels.
• Workers must not be exposed to noise levels at or above 87 decibels (taking hearing protection into account).

The use of hearing protection, as a form of PPE, is a solution you should only resort to when other strategies to reduce noise are impractical. Admittedly, it is not always possible to reduce noise below the required thresholds. 

Construction site noise reduction strategies

When tackling construction site noise, the most effective approach follows a standard hierarchy of controls – starting with elimination and reduction before moving to personal protective equipment. Briefly, these steps are:

• Eliminate the risk
• Move people away from the risk
• Look for a less hazardous alternative

Engineering and administrative controls can help to limit noise hazards and should be the first steps followed when seeking to control noise at construction sites. Points to consider include:

• Selecting low-noise tools and equipment
• Maintaining tools and equipment regularly (e.g. lubricating bearings helps to reduce noise)
• Placing a barrier between noise and employees. For example, sound curtains can direct noise away from employees
• Enclosing the source of noise or isolating it
• Undertaking noisy tasks when as few people as possible will be exposed
• Limiting how long employees should remain in noisy areas
• Rotating workers to reduce their average weekly noise exposure
• Providing quiet spaces for rest breaks
• Increasing the distance between the sources of noise and employees

 If you’re on a construction site, it’s highly likely you’ll need hearing protection even with engineering controls in place. The key is selecting the right protection for your specific environment while ensuring workers can still hear important safety signals and communicate effectively.

Practical advice on how to handle construction site noise 

The HSE provides guidance on how to handle construction site noise, beginning with a risk assessment. Begin by assessing who is affected by noise above the accepted level. This may extend beyond machine operators to nearby workers. At the same time, identify workers who already have hearing loss issues so that they can be prioritised.  

You can measure noise levels directly, or identify potential hazards by observing workplace characteristics. Noise concerns are typically indicated when:

• Employees two metres away from one another must raise their voices to be heard
• Workers use noisy machinery for more than 30 minutes of their workday
• Workers are near tools that generate regular impacts, for example, pneumatic drills or cartridge-driven tools. 
• Noisy work is undertaken in enclosed spaces

On larger sites where dynamic changes occur frequently, you may need a more detailed method to identify and control noise hazards. 

Once you are aware of who is at risk and what creates risk, you can begin determining what control measures you should implement to limit the effects of noise on construction site workers. Prioritise the engineering and administrative controls listed above where possible. 

Overcoming the limitations of noise reduction PPE

The first problem with noise reduction PPE is that workers may not use it properly, if at all. They may find it uncomfortable or struggle to communicate with team members when wearing it. As we previously mentioned, it can even create new risks since workers may be unable to hear noises such as an approaching vehicle or a shouted warning. 

At Radiocoms, we provide 3M Peltor headsets designed specifically for construction site use. These headsets offer hearing protection that reduces noise by 27 to 37 decibels while allowing workers to maintain situational awareness. They’re also colour coded so that different levels of protection are easily identifiable, and designed for user comfort during extended wear.

Workers can communicate with users through their Bluetooth-enabled smartphone connection or use a headset with two-way radio capability built in, and hands-free operation means that they are always in touch and can use voice controls to operate their headsets. 

When workers are exposed to higher-than-acceptable noise levels at construction sites, 3M Peltor headsets provide both active hearing protection and clear communication simultaneously. Contact us to learn more about how Radiocoms, a UK company with decades of specialist experience in radio communications, supports the construction industry. 

 

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