What is Occupational Noise Interview with AMI Industrial Hygenist, Doug Marshall

By Steve Sleeper

AMI Environmental

I recently sat down with Doug Marshall, an industrial hygienist with AMI.  We are digging deeper into this issue of occupational noise.  Below are the questions I asked Doug, followed by his responses.

What is occupational noise?

Most of us have noise in our work environments. Some industries have more noise than others. Construction or manufacturing would, of course, be recognized as noisy. Occupational noise is more prevalent in a factory or construction environment than in a traditional office.

Why is prevention of occupational noise so important?

Occupational noise protection is important because we can be exposed to levels of noise and become accustomed to it. Over time we could suffer hearing loss.

What are some of the things you do in an assessment?

We usually do some noise mapping – finding the high areas of noise. As a standard, we look greater than 80 decibels.

What are some of the things a manager needs to be look for?

Having a baseline noise assessment will help you recognize areas of your plant where potential exposures can be; where people can be overexposed to noise. Then we recommend individual noise dosimetry.

For a free consultation on occupational noise, call 800-828-8487 and ask for Doug Marshall, or go to IndustrialHygieneAMI.com.

For 25 years, AMI Environmental has made environmental problems go away. They can help you as well. call 800-828-8487.

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