Engineering controls for noise attenuation in the cement industry

Cement industry hearing protection and noise control regulations are projected to change significantly. In 1998 the Mine Safety and Health Administration plans to require formal hearing protection and audiometric testing programs and begin phasing in other new requirements over time. Engineering controls are proposed as the primary method for protecting workers' hearing, with administrative measures and personal protective equipment allowed as secondary controls. Numerous types of noise-attenuating engineering controls are feasible and have been successfully installed in a variety of crushing, grinding, material handling and other cement manufacturing applications, yielding significant reductions in noise levels and corresponding increases in permissible employee exposure times. Installing sound absorbers, barriers and silencers, treating surfaces to reduce noise reflection, and changing power transmission and other auxiliary equipment reduce noise generation at the source and interrupt noise propagation paths. Pro-active managers and engineers can team with equipment manufacturers and noise attenuation specialists to modify, retrofit or replace existing equipment, and specify, select and install new equipment to achieve quieter operations.