Preface

This assignment is to understand the noise hazard that induce or may induce at
workplace at Intel Technology Sdn Bhd at manufacturing Assembly area. Under the
Noise at Work Regulation 1989 (The Noise Regulation) is to reduce the risk of injury to
employees hearing at workplace. Team involvement includes PG8 Building safety
officer, equipment module owner (Equipment Engineer) and production supervisor in
order to advice or review the safety and health issue related at manufacturing floor area.
To successfully implemented noise control measure, first of all we require to obtain
information regard the noise level that employee expose by performing hazard mapping.
Hazard mapping eventually not only for Noise hazard but apply to all type of risk, but on
this particular cases using the hazard mapping for noise hazard is applicable intent to
identified, prioritize, and address workplace health and safety concern. Area mapping
is a simply technique which is not a technical exposure assessment to identify the
hazard which would be missed out by traditional safety, hygiene or ergonomic
assessment. This mapping technique is the earlier step of action identification before
further rely on the legal limit to determine the exposure is safe.
In case of Intel assembly manufacturing engineering requirement, for every equipment
install in the production area should undergo all the safety assessment that covered all
the risk hazard identified and should complete with control measure in place before
deploy the equipment to production floor for manufacturing activity. In summary Intel
practice for noise hazard covered generally into 3 steps of processes;
1. Hazard identification during the equipment installation activity, referred from
Equipment Data Sheet for any Noise Risk Hazard induces stated by supplier that
covered under Noise Regulation 1989.
2. Area mapping activity involve with Safety Officer, Engineer and area supervisor
to document for any noise hazard in workplace within single session. These
include review the current status and gathering input from the employees at
workplace area for any noise hazard issue.
3. Noise Mapping in the area mapping that risk of noise hazard induce by using a
technique taking measure at predetermine position identified y applying a 1
meter grid to the floor plan from the source of noise then measure display by a
contour map.
Noise Hazard Mapping
During performing the noise hazard mapping, there are several step to perform the
mapping activity;
1. Prepare for the noise hazard identification
2. Draw the process flow layout or workplace layout
3. List each of noise hazard that may induce from each process flow
4. Rate the noise hazard (high, medium or low)
5. Identify the effectiveness of control measures
6. Prioritize noise hazard which need to addressing
7. Present the noise hazard map with priority list
8. Distribution, follow up and evaluation
* EDC – Equipment Data Sheet
Noise Hazard Identification:
Noise hazard identification through the Equipment Data Sheet(EDS) information can be
obtain from the supplier or attract from the equipment documentation (White Paper)
which clearly identify the noise level that may induce by certain equipment in
manufacturing floor. This information normally follow the noise hazard regulation 1989
and most of the time all the noise hazard has been putting proper intervention system to
reduce the risk. However EDS will state the portion risk of noise hazard that potentially
induce in later time of process goes on due to degradation certain of parts which require
maintenance or part replacement to eliminate the issue.
Other than EDS references, input from the employees and safety and health group
review able to identify the noise risk that may rise at workplace since noise hazard not
solely refer to degree of decibel that stated in Noise Hazard Regulation but enough to
consider when the noise is an annoying to the employees.
In this particular case at Intel PG8 Building manufacturing area, we able to summarize
the noise hazard identifications simplified through table form that show in the next page.
 Area Mapping: Noise Hazard Reported Out by Area Mapping Committee.
Source of Noise Additional Step Counter
NO Area Identification Equipments/Tools Control Measure Adequate?
Hazard Measure
FCM Machine Compressor Motor Wooden Box Carbon Brush Fins must
(Chip Placement) (Vacuum) Noise reduction maintenance schedule
Land Side Cap
1 Up to 120 dB. Y Quarterly basis to control
Module (LSC)
Maximum. the noise level. Replace
when necessary.
Fuji 302E Heat Air whistling from air Perform Marginal Include in Schedule
Spreader placement tubing leakage due Tool Policy (MTP). Maintenance (Preventive
Machine. to XY movement Down tool to Maintenance). Replace the
Interposer Heat
2 (high speed). repair for high Y leakage tubing and
Spreader Attach
Reported record noise level. pneumatic connector
measurement up to (Irritating level) leakage/loosen.
95dB (Irritating)
FIFO Material Alarm sound system. Reduce the sound Additional Flashing Light
Handling System Measured maximum level setting. Tower to improve alertness
3 Die Attach Module Y
(MHS) to 90dB. (Irritating) of operator for any error
happened to machine.
Assembly Fire Alarm (Bell Bell Sound, Irritating Change from Place the Fire Alarm at
Manufacturing Floor Alarm) continuous bell non population area;
ringing to interval assessment for alarm is
4 Y
mode adequate to alert all
population of workers at
floor.
Equipment Overview produces noise exposure

Figure above one of the assembly manufacturing equipment that identify earlier before the installation
may produce noise exposure to operator in line production. Although from the Equipment Data Sheet
stated the spec of noise level for compressor motor for vacuum is excepted as per Noise Regulation
1989, however feedback from the other Intel site (Costa Rica & Chandler, US) creating annoying to
operator work in line. To improve the noise level Fuji & Intel Corporation coming out a design of Noise
Reduction Box for compressor motor vacuum. Recommendation for central vacuum compressor from
factory utilities identified an expensive due to majority of the equipment for whole module link is not
using vacuum operation.
However, regular maintenance in Semi-Annual basis is needed for Carbon Brush Fins for compressor
motor whereby finding that after 6 months of operation the carbon brush fins started produce noise and
increase the total noise level which penetrated to noise reduction box.
Second finding is the air whistling noise which annoying the operator during perform the machine setup.
Investigation performs by preventive maintenance group and found out came from compress air tubing
leakage at XY table placing head area. Team decide to include in Preventive Maintenance list to
replace any tubing leakage and implemented Marginal Tool Policy (MTP) where if the noise level is
unaccepted, operator in the line should down the tool for further attention to resolve the issue.
Second cases reported is regard FIFO Material Handling System (MHS) where operator feedback the
alarm system implemented by equipment engineer is too loud. The equipment engineer giving the
rationally on this project is to ensure operator aware the machine error state due to MHS FIFO machine
very critical to down or having error which would cause production unit fail.
Noise exposure having been measure and found out the alarm noise level is around 89dB as of daily
exposure rate.
In order to improve the noise exposure to operator and to sustained the error alert effectiveness,
changes on the alarm volume to reduce from 895dB to 85dB and added of tower light improvement with
high intensive rotating flashing light. Figure below show the FIFO MHS machine pictures added with
tower light.

Tower light
Noise Mapping (Noise Contouring)
Noise mapping is to identify the noise sources and able to identified the action to be priorities. Priority
given to the equipment that emitting higher noise level and identify the method of control either by
source, path or worker. Below figure show the noise mapping done by the Hygiene Tech by performing
the noise level measurement in 1 meter radius from source.
Noise Mapping Contour

83dB 78dB 73dB Measure point location

From the noise mapping contour, specific action plan able to identify in order to eliminate or reduce the
noise exposure to the line operator. Method of noise mapping conducted by Hygiene Tech by using
Sound Pressure Level Meter to measure each equipment that suspected emitting the noise. Mapping
performs by 1 meter radius and the contour drawn in average value for point location identify.
Hierarchy Of Control
Principle of control in generally can be listed as below list;
1. Elimination
2. Substitution
3. Isolation
4. Engineering Control
5. Administrative Control
6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
7. Health Surveillance
In majority of common principle of control perform within item 3 above where most of the related
solution is not expensive or practically implemented. Within that hierarchy of control we will able to
define in 3 categories;
1. Control at the source
2. Control at the path
3. Control at the workers
Noise Control by Planning:
In overall mean of noise control planning “Buy Quiet” is the most effective mean of noise control where
meaning of important of control the noise level which cause cost to employee itself. Noise control
planning should begin from the earlier layout of the factory take place where all the potential source of
noise to be layout properly where each machine, processes and work area been putting together with
equally noise level. This will able to leverage the noise control across the layout plan and quite
impossible to isolate certain machine that emitted noise exposure from other equipment if the machine
attach each other (assembly line). Separate noisy and quite area by buffer zones with intermediate
noise level. Example of eliminating the noise in cutting process by using Oxy-acetylene cutting process
produces a cleaner finish and eliminates need for grinding which this method been defined during the
earlier process definition.
Other example such decision to have a type of fan for certain process which selecting axial type of fan
rather than radial, backward curved blade type of fan that emitted more noise. Isolate the vacuum and
compressor pump motor at single room for every operation is one of the Isolation method for noise
control planning where all the process area to identify the need of vacuum or air compressor before the
machine or process area to be bold down (install). All above noise control planning require safety
officer and equipment engineer to sit down together with Industrial Engineer to decide the proper layout
of equipment setting that considered all the potential noise exposure.
 Several example of hierarchy of control:
Hierarchy Of Area of
Process Name Current Action New Process Of Control
Control Control
Hammering the bearing into their Cooled the bearing in liquid
position produce noisy process nitrogen which fit the bearing
Bearing insertion Eliminate Source
easily into the casing without
hammering.
Normal cutting process produce Using Oxy-acetylene cutting
Metal Cutting Eliminate burrs require grinding for procedure provide clean cut Source
finishing. without require grinding process
Vacuum & Compressor Motor Providing Noise Box Reduction
Heat Spreader Attach Engineering Control emitted noise due to carbon for vacuum & Compressor motor Source
brush fin rotary.
Alarm sound interval mode, Reduce the alarm volume to
noise level is high, irritating the acceptable level and change the
FIFO MHS Engineering Control operator before clearing the light tower from static lamp Source
jammed or error indicator to high intensive
flashing light.
Technician perform the Technician provided with
maintenance job for reading the earmuffs. Easy to supervise, size
compression meter, velocity and fit to all, and better for longer
CFM, technician wearing earplug period of time.
Personal Protective which feedback from them
AHU Room Worker
Equipment (PPE) having issue due to easy to
soiled, may loose due to
occasional refitting and
discomfort for long period of
time.
Design a room full closure for Improve by install sound
noise barrier absorbing material at the wall
AHU Room Isolate and provide noise transmission Path
path to the above building (facing
open air)
Conclusion:
Noise hazard at workplace control require a specific plan and team assigned. Without proper planning
for the outcome for every each of process would involve high expenses in order to control or eliminate
the noise exposure. It is very important that for any layout plan for any process at workplace should
perform the necessary assessment for any risk hazard. At least there is a person to be assign for
perform the assessment and form a team consist representative of engineering, Industrial Engineering,
area supervisor and lead by safety officer.
Continuous monitoring system and encourage employees to feedback is the best method of controlling
the noise hazard in workplace. This is due to certain issue only would emitted the noise after the
equipment started to wear and tear. There is where the monitoring and feedback able to identify the
issue in right place at the right time.
Working behavior to choose less noise method to perform task is also contribute the noise level,
example such as bending the rode using Plier instead of hammer and perform very good maintenance
system for lubricating the gear, linear bearing and replace the soft isolating vibration to reduce every
potential noise emitted factors in workplace.

References
 Intel Assembly Manufacturing Layout Team
 Fundamental Of Noise – Industrial Hygiene Division (NIOSH – Fadzil Osman)
 Intel Equipment Installation Procedures – Base of 5M+1E White Paper requirement.