ENERGY LIMITED, VIJAYANAGAR

COMMON PROCEDURE - OH&S ISO 9001:2015,ISO 14001:2015,ISO 45001:2018 & ISO

50001:2018
DIN NO. Issue No./Date Rev.No/Date
JSWEL/MR/OCP/123 03/16.04.2020 01/04.01.2023

Procedure for Noise Protection

Revision status Record:

Revisio Date Page Details of Changes Reason for

n No. no. changes
16.04.202 Issue changed from 2 to 3 changed Standard
00 0 Upgraded
01 04.01.202 5 References added
3 SOP review

Document Approval sheet:

Prepared by Core Team Member

Reviewed by Head-Safety

Approved by Head of Plant

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Page 1 of 7

 ENERGY LIMITED, VIJAYANAGAR

COMMON PROCEDURE - OH&S ISO 9001:2015,ISO 14001:2015,ISO 45001:2018 & ISO

50001:2018
DIN NO. Issue No./Date Rev.No/Date
JSWEL/MR/OCP/123 03/16.04.2020 01/04.01.2023

Issued& Controlled MR
by

1.0 Purpose

This Procedure approach to the management of OHS risks associated with managing noise
and preventing hearing loss. The purpose of this procedure is to outline safe procedures to
ensure that risks associated with activities that generate noise are adequately managed in
order to minimise the risk of injury or harm to workers, contractors, visitors and the public.

2.0 Scope

This procedure is applicable for all the employees of JSWEL & Contractors.
This procedure should be complied by the employees of JSWEL & Contractors that
undertake activities where they may be

3.0 Associated procedures:

----

4.0 Responsibility:

4.01 This procedure is prepared by Core team member, reviewed by HOD safety.
4.02 Management Representative will issue and control the procedure.
5.0 Procedure:

General safe work procedures:

Safety Helmet must be worn at all Long and loose hair must be avoided.
times in work place. Usage of Ear muff or Ear Plug whenever
required
Safety Shoes must be worn at all times Close fitting/protective clothing must be
in work areas. worn at all times in work areas. CSE,

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Page 2 of 7

 ENERGY LIMITED, VIJAYANAGAR

COMMON PROCEDURE - OH&S ISO 9001:2015,ISO 14001:2015,ISO 45001:2018 & ISO

50001:2018
DIN NO. Issue No./Date Rev.No/Date
JSWEL/MR/OCP/123 03/16.04.2020 01/04.01.2023

LOTO & Height work permits if required.

Safety Goggles must be worn in work areas Use Hand gloves if required.
whenever required.
Rings & jewellery must not be worn & Ensure all flammable materials are
Mobiles to be turned Off. safely stored.
General environmental care:

Segregate wastes at source ensure their

Ensure that there are no spillage
collection,storage and disposal as per
and leakages liquids.Store all
procedure for relevant type of waste. If
liquids in secondary
not sure,consult environmental
containments.
department.

Perfrom activities having

emissions/dust geenration in Ensure, relevant Common procedure is
secluded araes in way to contain follwed.
dust/smoke.

Switch off all lights.equipment While working keep in mind what can be
and other energy using systems reduced-reused and recycled –for better
where not required. environment.

5.1 work procedure:

To manage their facilities, plant, work environment and tasks as to eliminate the risks
associated with exposure to noise at worksites, and if that is not possible, l minimise the
risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

Exposure to high levels of noise can result in temporary or permanent hearing loss. Hearing
loss can result from a prolonged exposure to high noise levels over a period of time or an
explosion such as heavy blast. Employees can protect themselves from noise induced
hearing loss by following the guidance in this SOP.

5.2 Risk assessment:

Conducting the specific risk assessments and undertaken surveys to assess the sources of
noise and vibration.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Page 3 of 7

 ENERGY LIMITED, VIJAYANAGAR

COMMON PROCEDURE - OH&S ISO 9001:2015,ISO 14001:2015,ISO 45001:2018 & ISO

50001:2018
DIN NO. Issue No./Date Rev.No/Date
JSWEL/MR/OCP/123 03/16.04.2020 01/04.01.2023

Actively monitors stakeholders’ exposure to noise and vibration, and control measures have
been identified and effectively implemented and maintained based upon a suitable
hierarchy of control.
 Eliminating the source of the noise
 Substituting the noise source
 Engineering controls
 Administrative controls
 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
5.3 IDENTIFY NOISE HAZARDS
Noise hazards should be identified during the risk assessment process during work activities
5.4 NOISE SURVEYS
To identify existing and potential noise hazard areas, including plant and equipment, a noise
survey
needs to be undertaken by a competent person.

A noise survey may include:

 Testing noise exposure levels within the work environment quarterly.

 Testing all plant, equipment and tools to determine their current noise levels;
 Compiling a noise register at the completion of the testing, indicating the noise levels
of the
plant, equipment, tools and work areas; and

Where noise measurements reveal that the daily exposure level at a work location exceeds
the
recommended noise exposure limits, a Hazard Report must be completed, and noise control
measures must be identified as part of the risk assessment and then implemented to limit or
reduce exposure.
Where noise exposure has been identified as a risk at the workplace, the risk assessment
process must be used to assess the exposure risk and determine the extent of the problem
along with the appropriate control measures. This must be carried out in consultation with
relevant risk owners, workers

Assessing and Controlling Noisy Areas and Activities

Areas or activities involving an identified noise hazard must be risk assessed to determine
the controls required to address the hazard. The noise assessment must be reviewed
whenever there are significant changes that may affect the assessment outcome.
 Noise controls must be documented and reviewed to determine their
effectiveness.
 Plant and equipment must be periodically inspected and assessed to determine if
there is any increase in noise emissions, and if this is the case, appropriate
mitigation measures must be implemented. Where practicable, the decibel reading
should be transcribed onto or near the item of plant.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Page 4 of 7

 ENERGY LIMITED, VIJAYANAGAR

COMMON PROCEDURE - OH&S ISO 9001:2015,ISO 14001:2015,ISO 45001:2018 & ISO

50001:2018
DIN NO. Issue No./Date Rev.No/Date
JSWEL/MR/OCP/123 03/16.04.2020 01/04.01.2023

 Plant, equipment or events (such as Compressors, Turbines, Exciter, Generator,

Boiler feed pumps, Condensate extraction pumps, Coal mills, etc) that may result in
high noise must be identified, and controls
 Locations/tasks with an identified noise hazard must be designated as mandatory
hearing
protection areas/tasks. Mandatory hearing protection areas must be marked and
signposted
around the perimeter or entry. The signage must be visible from all approaches to
the area
 Where hearing protection is required, the class and type of mandatory hearing
protection (e.g. muffs or plugs) must be identified and communicated to all
workers.
Identifying and Assessing Noise
Workers who are potentially at risk of noise exposure must be identified and assessed as
follows:

6. Noise Control Measures:

General guidelines for the management of noise exposure are:
 When purchasing new equipment, consider items that are able to operate more
quietly;
 Modify plant and work processes to reduce the noise using engineering controls
(for further information
 Design changes to plant to enclose noise or isolate it from the work area;
 Undertake regular maintenance of plant, equipment and tools;
 Use sound absorption and attenuation devices such as sound proofing booths
and partitions;
 When determining work schedules, consider where noisy work is undertaken,
and limit the number of people exposed to the noise. Keep workers out of noisy
areas if their work does not require them to be there;
 Signpost areas exposed to high noise levels;
 Provide workers exposed to noisy work conditions with quiet areas for rest
breaks;
 Minimize metal to metal impact or suppress vibrating surfaces in circumstances
where these occur;
 Ensure safety signs are displayed to alert people to the possibility of noise in the
area, including the requirement to wear PPE;
 Ensure adequate training is provided;
 Use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as ear plugs or ear
muffs
7. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

If Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is to be used, it is important that the most

suitable hearing protection is used for the task. Whilst PPE is the least preferred method of
controlling hazards according to the “hierarchy of control,” it may be the only means of

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Page 5 of 7

 ENERGY LIMITED, VIJAYANAGAR

COMMON PROCEDURE - OH&S ISO 9001:2015,ISO 14001:2015,ISO 45001:2018 & ISO

50001:2018
DIN NO. Issue No./Date Rev.No/Date
JSWEL/MR/OCP/123 03/16.04.2020 01/04.01.2023

protection. If the use of personal hearing protectors is necessary, it is important that the
hearing protectors are worn throughout the period of exposure to noise in the appropriate
and instructed manner. Removing personal hearing protectors for even short periods
significantly reduces the effective attenuation (noise reduction) and might provide
inadequate protection. When selecting personal hearing protectors, the degree of
attenuation required in the worker’s environment should be considered. Care needs to be
taken regarding over-attenuation, as personnel wearing hearing protection may be less able
to respond to aural alarms. As such, warning signals need to be managed appropriately in
areas that hearing protection is worn.
As a rule of thumb, if voices have to be raised to talk to someone at a distance of three feet
or less, it is a high noise work area.

8. Audiometric Testing

Employees in the Hearing Conservation Program receive an hearing test to measure the
employee’s noise-induced hearing loss level. Hearing testing can detect hearing loss before
the employee realizes they are losing their hearing and before it affects speech
communication.

Testing should be conducted within six months of recruitment, or job change into high-noise
areas.

All workers & employees required to undergo a hearing test once in 6 months. Any changes
to hearing levels must be investigated to ensure effective controls are in place in the
workplace.
Protection from hearing loss:

If working in a high noise work area, employees should take precautions to protect
themselves by wearing hearing protection. Protection from high noise is a function of
volume and time. The higher the volume, the shorter time employees can be exposed
without the risk of developing hearing loss.

Audiogram Evaluation

The audiometric testing results will be communicated to each employee by the attending
Doctor. When the test results indicate excessive hearing loss since the previous testing, the
employee must be refitted with adequate hearing protectors, retrained in their use, and
wear them.

After the tests the employees will be informed (where necessary) to undergo further tests
and treatment.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Page 6 of 7

 ENERGY LIMITED, VIJAYANAGAR

COMMON PROCEDURE - OH&S ISO 9001:2015,ISO 14001:2015,ISO 45001:2018 & ISO

50001:2018
DIN NO. Issue No./Date Rev.No/Date
JSWEL/MR/OCP/123 03/16.04.2020 01/04.01.2023

If the suspected hearing problem is not thought to be work-related, employees will be

notified and referred to their personal physician.

Hearing Protectors

Hearing protectors should be provided and worn by workers exposed to a noise level of 90
dB or above., PPE matrix

9. TRAINING AND COMPETENCY

Instruction on noise risks must be provided to workers and contractors. This is achieved at
induction and
tool box talks.
Site induction must communicate the following:
 The location of mandatory hearing protection zones (e.g. blower rooms);
 How to identify which activities (e.g. using power tools) are mandatory hearing
protection
activities; and
 The availability of hearing protection at the worksite.
Tool box talks must communicate the following:
 When and how to use the personal hearing protection devices, including selection,
fitting, care and maintenance;
 Any defects in the plant or workplace likely to cause exposure to excessive noise;
and
 The purpose and nature of audiometric testing.

Ref:

 Karnataka Factories Rules, 1969

 Factories act-1948

6.0 Records
 Audiometry test report of employee
 Regular inspection of High noise area
 IH reports

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Page 7 of 7