Drilling noise control is important for all industries especially the in the building and construction, oil, gas and water exploration sectors. It is important to ensure that both employees and the community around are shielded from excessive noises emanating from the work equipment. There are various control techniques that can be employed such as vibration isolation, sound absorbing wall panels, sound abatement and air silencers among others.
It is impossible to quantify the noise-level on linear scale. This problem has been solved by the use of a logarithmic scale which is called a decibel. Human hearing can be greatly affected by the intensity of sound and the length of time one is exposed to the extreme sound conditions. Excessive sound energy can easily damage the ear drum causing deafness.
Surveys can be conducted in any workplace to determine the hazard posed by the noises. The preliminary surveys should be able to identify places where the noise-level exceeds the set exposure limits. Wherever drilling machinery are used, a detailed survey should be conducted so as to provide an in-depth assessment that quantifies the noise-level, identifies the source, develop control strategies and determine the appropriate hearing protection needs.
Controls are mostly on areas of administration, engineering and hearing protection. Before deciding on the best controls, a consultant needs to gain an understanding of the basic principles of noise-control. Problem analysis should be broken down into components that include the source, transmission and reception. A single piece of machinery can combine various independent noises. Various pathways can be used to propagate the noises to the receivers.
To lower the levels, one should try and separate the sources. This is because combined noises produce a sound that can be 3db higher than the usual one hence posing a risk of hearing damage. Sound insulation can be used to reduce the sound energy that is able to pass. It works by reflecting most of the sound. The most common way of insulation is the use of an obstacle such as a wall or partition. One can use a porous material to absorb sound energy. This is widely applied in music recording studios. These absorbents can absorb 50 percent of the sound energy produced.
Some of the administrative polices that firms can adopt include undertaking the purchase of quiet machinery which produce minimal sound energy. Many manufacturers are now responding to these market needs. Job rotation procedures can help reduce the exposure time for an individual employee. Regular maintenance of the machines hence ensuring that they are efficiently operating. The use of hearing protection devices by employees in very noisy places.
Where it poses a challenge to reduce the noises from their source, one can use a simple enclosure which should be sealed. This can help reduce noises by 15 to 20 dB. Large and heavy machines should not be mounted near buildings. They should be mounted on foundations. Stable foundations are best and it is recommended that elastic separation such as rubber or springs made of steel be used.
Drifters have various drilling noise control techniques. Any use of down the hole hammer machines should be restricted to those that have hydraulic drive motors. The levels of sound energy can also be reduced by the use of double glass insulation.
It is impossible to quantify the noise-level on linear scale. This problem has been solved by the use of a logarithmic scale which is called a decibel. Human hearing can be greatly affected by the intensity of sound and the length of time one is exposed to the extreme sound conditions. Excessive sound energy can easily damage the ear drum causing deafness.
Surveys can be conducted in any workplace to determine the hazard posed by the noises. The preliminary surveys should be able to identify places where the noise-level exceeds the set exposure limits. Wherever drilling machinery are used, a detailed survey should be conducted so as to provide an in-depth assessment that quantifies the noise-level, identifies the source, develop control strategies and determine the appropriate hearing protection needs.
Controls are mostly on areas of administration, engineering and hearing protection. Before deciding on the best controls, a consultant needs to gain an understanding of the basic principles of noise-control. Problem analysis should be broken down into components that include the source, transmission and reception. A single piece of machinery can combine various independent noises. Various pathways can be used to propagate the noises to the receivers.
To lower the levels, one should try and separate the sources. This is because combined noises produce a sound that can be 3db higher than the usual one hence posing a risk of hearing damage. Sound insulation can be used to reduce the sound energy that is able to pass. It works by reflecting most of the sound. The most common way of insulation is the use of an obstacle such as a wall or partition. One can use a porous material to absorb sound energy. This is widely applied in music recording studios. These absorbents can absorb 50 percent of the sound energy produced.
Some of the administrative polices that firms can adopt include undertaking the purchase of quiet machinery which produce minimal sound energy. Many manufacturers are now responding to these market needs. Job rotation procedures can help reduce the exposure time for an individual employee. Regular maintenance of the machines hence ensuring that they are efficiently operating. The use of hearing protection devices by employees in very noisy places.
Where it poses a challenge to reduce the noises from their source, one can use a simple enclosure which should be sealed. This can help reduce noises by 15 to 20 dB. Large and heavy machines should not be mounted near buildings. They should be mounted on foundations. Stable foundations are best and it is recommended that elastic separation such as rubber or springs made of steel be used.
Drifters have various drilling noise control techniques. Any use of down the hole hammer machines should be restricted to those that have hydraulic drive motors. The levels of sound energy can also be reduced by the use of double glass insulation.
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