Noise

• Author: International Labour Organization
• Pages: 111-114

Meetings-MESHA-Final Code-2010-10-0355-1-En.doc/v2/v2 111

12. Noise

12.1. Introduction

12.1.1. Noise is a serious occupational hazard to those who work in agriculture. The

less exposure to noise the better. Hearing loss may result from a single intense exposure or

cumulative exposure to noise. There are many potential sources of noise on farms,

including tractors, chainsaws, grain dryers and guns, and contact with animals such as pigs.

Exposure to farm equipment or animal production is the principal source of noise-induced

hearing loss in agriculture. Some typical noise levels are shown in table 12.1 below. By

comparison, the noise level of a normal conversation is 50–60 dB.

Table 12.1. Noise levels in selected agricultural activities

12.1.2. For machinery, the best option for reducing noise is to do so at source

through good design. For example, many new tractors and other farm equipment have been

designed so as to emit low levels of noise. The second option is to reduce noise by

installing sound-proofed enclosures, acoustic materials or other engineering measures. If

such means are insufficient, hearing protectors should be provided and the amount of time

spent in noisy environments limited. Hearing protectors may also be needed for other

agricultural processes, such as working with livestock.

12.2. Hazard description

12.2.1. Hearing damage usually occurs over longer periods of time because of

prolonged exposure to high noise levels. Hearing loss may be only temporary after short

periods of exposure to noise, but if workers continue to be exposed to high noise levels

they will suffer permanent damage to their hearing. Permanent damage can also be caused

immediately by sudden, extremely loud noises, e.g. from guns.

12.2.2. High noise levels can also be a safety hazard at work, interfering with

communication and making warnings harder to hear, and they can also increase worker

fatigue and cause irritability, reducing performance.

12.2.3. Noise is generally measured over an eight hours work exposure time. Work

exposures longer than eight hours will reduce the allowed noise levels for extended time

frames.