Noisy equipment

Noise can cause a serious nuisance in the neighbourhood of a process plant. Care needs to be taken when selecting and specifying equipment such as compressors, air-cooler fans, induced and forced draught fans for furnaces, and other noisy plant. Excessive noise can also be generated when venting through steam and other relief valves, and from flare stacks. Such equipment should be fitted with silencers. Vendors specifications should be checked to ensure that equipment complies with statutory noise levels both for the protection of employees (see Chapter 9), as well as for noise pollution considerations. Noisy equipment should, as far as practicable, be sited well away from the site boundary. Earth banks and screens of trees can be used to reduce the noise level perceived outside the site. 

Troyan13 tells how to spot certain symptoms during the startup phase so that problems may be averted. Some examples follow. Noisy equipment or a higher-than-normal temperature may mean poor lubrication. This could be due to plugging because of dirt that accumulated during construction. Vibration may mean that the equipment should be anchored better. Excessive pressures or unexpected vacuums may be due to spray painting that clogged ventilators. In one case, a tank was filled with water and then spray-painted. When the tank was emptied, a vacuum was formed that collapsed it. 

Enclose noisy equipment and reduce metal to metal contact. 

Engineering and administrative controls If exposure limits are exceeded, implement engineering or administrative controls, where feasible. Engineering controls include rubber mountings, sound-absorbing tiles, and locating noisy equipment away from workers. Administrative controls Include arranging schedules to reduce the time each worker spends at a noisy task. 

The risks associated with new projects may include use of hazardous substances insufficient product data faulty electrical equipment poor access/egress poor ergonomics noisy equipment poorly guarded machinery imported equipment/materials lack of risk assessment lack of training/awareness on behalf of management, supervision and employees poor environmental control inadequate emergency procedures inadequate maintenance considerations poor construction methods little or no consideration of waste disposal/demolition. 

It is difficult for workers to get away from noisy equipment. 

Isolation of the workers - the provision of soundproofed workrooms or enclosures isolated away from noisy equipment (a power station control room is an example of worker isolation). 

Orientation or re-location of the equipment - turn the noisy equipment away from the workforce or locate it away in separate and isolated areas. 

Screens or absorption walls - can be used effectively in areas where the sound is reflected from walls. The walls of the rooms housing the noisy equipment are lined with sound absorbent material, such as foam or mineral wool, or sound absorbent (acoustic) screens are placed around the equipment. 

In some situations, it may be possible to relocate either the noisy equipment or the normal workplace of the technicians in the area. Also sound barriers can be installed they block the path of the noise and reflect most of it back to the point of origin. 

At the end of the concept-definition phase, layout drawings that describe the platform in sufficient detail are made available. The EPC contractor performs Coarse analyses of all areas of the platform, i.e. process, utility, drilling and the living quarters. They invite Norskoil s operations personnel to participate in the analyses. The analysis teams concentrate on expected problem areas related to layout, such as manual materials handling, work in open areas, access to equipment, location of noisy equipment, and solitary work. A number of layout changes are introduced as a result of this evaluation. 

Enclosure of the hazard using enclosed cabs, enclosures for noisy equipment, or other means ... 

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