Second, noise pollution causes annoyance, the level of noise being emitted from the construction site is frustrating, irritating and annoying. Employee’s productivity and efficiency can significantly drop because of the annoyance, irritation and frustration that they are facing as a result of noise pollution. Since the commencement of this construction the company has seen reduction in employees’ efficiency a fact the writer of this paper has attributed to the annoyance as a result of noise pollution (Anthony 2003 pp. 17 – 19).
Third, decreased work performance – increased levels of noise pollution causes reduction or lack of accuracy and concentration at work. It also reduces employees’ performance and productivity. Tasks which are difficult can become impaired and warning or instructions can be hard to be heard and interpreted, this can result into accidents.
According to a research that was done by the Canadian environmental management agencies, employees who work in a work place where there is high noise pollution are more than fifty seven at risk of getting injured because of lack of enough concentration and the ability to hear and interpret instructions effectively (Hansen 2000 pp. 28 – 29). Fourth, it interferes with speech – Noise pollution which is more than 50dB is usually difficult to hear and interpret.
This can result into accidents and reduction in employees performance and productivity, it can even results into problems such as partial deafness (Dian et al 1999 p 9). Fifth, interference with sleep – very high levels of noise coming from construction sites can interfere with employees sleeping patterns hence destabilizing them. Finally, damage to materials, the noise being emitted from the construction site makes the building materials to vibrate hence weakening the building. If no action is taken the building may end up collapsing or may have it lifespan reduced by more than fifteen percent (Bruce et al 2005 p 13).
Examination of the options available for addressing the risk associated with noise pollution A human being with healthy ear usually responds to a wide range of SPL generally from a thresh hold of zero decibel. However between one hundred and one hundred and twenty decibel the ear is not comfortable and between one hundred and thirty and one hundred and forty it becomes very painful. Given the various adverse effects of noise on the environment and human beings, it should be mitigated or controlled.
The combination of techniques or the methods that are to be employed in mitigation of noise pollution depends entirely on the level of reduction required, the extent of noise pollution, the economical aspects of the available solutions, and the nature of the equipments that are available. Reduction to noise exposure time or isolation from the source of generation are part and parcel of techniques of controlling noise besides provision of personal ear protection devices, diversion of in the waves’ trajectory and the engineered control for reducing noise at the source.
Techniques that can be used to control noise pollution can be classified as source control, application of protective equipments and controlling noise pollution in the transmission path. The following are some of the methods that can be used to control noise in this situation (Thomson 2004 pp. 28 – 33) Controlling the transmission path, this will reduce noise pollution because it will increase the distance taken by the wave to travel and to be absorbed, radiated or refracted in the surrounding environment.
Some of the techniques for controlling transmission path that can be used include: installation of barrier and installation of enclosures or panels. The level of noise pollution can be attenuated in installation of barriers between the construction site (source) and our employees (receiver). For a barrier to be effective, its lateral width will extend beyond the sight line as much as the height that can be reached. In Installation of enclosures or panels, the contractor can be advised to enclose the area so as to minimize the noise coming from the sites.
Other steps that can be taken includes advising the contractor to carry out regular maintenance of its construction machineries and cranes (Singai 2000 p 18 – 22) Using protection equipments is actually the ultimate step in controlling noise pollution, after reduction of noise at the source of generation. The first step that will be taken in this technique is gauging the intensity of the noise pollution nuisance, identifying the person who is suffering and the level of noise he/she is exposed to. The usage of worker’s exposure and protective devices can be reduced by hearing protection and job rotation.
Hearing protection – this involves giving employees ear protective devices such as ear plugs and earmuffs. Attenuation that hearing devices provides varies with their size, seal materials and shape. According to the literature survey that are available an average earmuffs can be reduce more than thirty two dB. In job rotation the employee’s work place can rotate so that they are not constantly exposed to the noise source (Gurdeep et al 2006 p. 19) Making decisions about the option to implement so as to control noise pollution Noise pollution survey will be done in the company so as to determine the ambient noise level.
The data obtained will then be analyzed and documented to ensure that the management arrives at a concrete solution. To come up with a good solution for the problem parameters to be calculated will first have to be determined. These parameters vary with the goal. For this case NC, Ldn and Leq will be the deciding factors because the source and the receiver are few meters a part (Williamson 2005 pp. 18 – 20) Out of those options which have been identified, the company will settle for controlling the transmission path by installation of barriers.
This is because as compared to the others techniques of noise pollution, this technique is cheap, effective, and user friendly. For the installed barrier to be effective, its lateral width will be designed in a way that its lateral it will extend beyond the line sight at a height that is at least higher. The barrier that will be created will be near to the employees (receiver); however this is subject to the condition that the traverse length will be increased. What the company should note is that barrier’s presence will be effective in reflecting the noise back to the construction site (source of the noise pollution).
At a wide distance barriers are usually not so effective due to the possibility of the effects of refractive atmospheric (Khopkar 2004 pp. 23 -25). Actions to implementing the decision After opting for barrier controlling in which they will control the transmission path by installing barriers, the company’s Workplace Health and Safety manager will discus the issue with the financial controller, managing director and other top management official for the approval of the project and to get maximum support from the management team (Peter 2005 p. 11)
After the management has approved the management and funds have been availed for the project, a company will be contracted to come and install a barrier. During the installation all the design features that had been proposed will have to be considered. Care must also be taken to ensure that the objective of creating a barrier is met (Institution of Engineers 2001 p 15) Evaluation of the results of the action taken After the barriers have been installed, they should be evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing noise pollution.
This will be done by carrying out noise pollution sampling and noise pollution survey (Institution of Engineers 2001 p 16) The guidelines for carrying out noise sampling that will be used to evaluate the current situation after enforcing the solution will be obtained from Bureau of Indian Standards. After obtaining a sample for noise evaluation, they will be compared to the BIS standards. Noise Survey will be done during the evaluation so as to find out the levels of noise in the company after mitigation/ enforcement of the solution.
The field data obtained from sampling will be analyzed and then documented. This will help the company to know if whatever the solution that they enforced is working or hasn’t succeeded in mitigating the problem. For a systematic analysis, the noise survey evaluation will contain the following information: reference to the country’s noise pollution standards, description of the installed barrier with respect to dissipate, reflects or to absorb the noise, weighting network and time factor that has been used and SPL instruments results (Institution of Engineers 2001 pp. 17-20)
Conclusion The best solution to the current noise pollution coming from the construction site is that Dyer and Blair Financial Company should opt for barrier control in which they are going to control the transmission path by installing barriers. If this is done the company will save a lot in terms of employee’s performance, the company’s productivity and reduced errors because employees will be able to understand and interpret whatever message that is being passed on to them.
Many literatures which are available have shown that creation of a barrier to the transmission path is effective, cheaper and user to install as compared to other techniques of noise pollution such as earmuffs. Many companies which have embraced this technique have realized a significance reduction in the rate of noise solution. The writer of this paper is of the opinion that, given that the current noise pollution problem is temporary, they needs to embrace a solution that will even help them to overcome future unforeseen noise pollution.
This makes controlling the transmission path by installing barriers to be the best option for the company. Reference Anthony H (2003) Models of controlling environmental pollution Alexandra University press pp. 17 19 Bruce C & Montana P (2005) management of noise pollution Barron’s Educational Series publisher pp. 13 Dian R & Irene (1999) P Pollution Causes, effects and mitigation measures Elsevier publisher pp. 2 -5 Gilbert T (2003) frameworks for controlling noise pollution in work places Diane publisher p 3 Gurdeep R & Taneja P (2006)
Environmental Noise Pollution & Control Anmol Publications p. 19 Hansen D (2000) advanced Air, Water & Noise Pollution Oxford University press pp. 27 – 28 State Pollution Control Commission Institution of Engineers (2001) Noise pollution & its control India pp. 13 – 20 Martin B (2002) Methods of controlling noise pollution applied science publisher pp. 15 – 22 Khopkar M 2004 environmental pollution & control – control & monitoring New Age International publisher pp. 23 -25 Peter F (2005) Community Noise pollution Dian publisher pp. 3 – 11 Rao R (1995) Noise pollution & Control Journal of environmental pollution & control Dhanee publisher pp. 8 – 14
Robert S (2001) management & control of pollution Elsevier publisher p. 36 Singai P (2000) Noise Pollution & Control Narosa Publishing House p 21 Thomson R (2004) effect of noise pollution Dian Publisher pp. 28 -33 Williamson T (2005) Principals of environmental engineering Macmillan Publishers pp 18 Appendix Dyer and Blair financial limited is a company that has employed over three and forty six employee. The company offers financial services such as it is a broker in the financial market, the company gives loan and it has also been a lead advisor to the United States government.