Workplace

Noise-induced hearing damages are incurable. Contemporaneously, individuals with impaired hearing get into social isolation very easily.

The new Regulation on Noise and Vibration VOLV (BGBl. II Nr. 22/2006) has been in force since February 2006, and applies to all workplaces, construction sites and out-of-town job locations with employees’ exposure to hazard generated by noise or vibration.

• Noise is any kind of sound in the audible frequency range.
• Vibrations are mechanical oscillations or concussions being transferred to the human body through direct contact. A distinction is made between hand-arm vibrations and whole-body vibrations.

As for noise in the music and entertainment secotr, the regulation entered into effect as from 15th February 2008.

VOLV imposes standards for businesses concerning the way of dealing with noise and vibration at the workplace. With the regulation, the legislator constituted preventive trigger values for noise harmful to hearing, as well as for vibration hazardous to health. In addition, permissible exposure limits were laid down.

As soon as a trigger value – as stipulated in VOLV – is reached or exceeded, the employer must contrive measures to alleviate exposure. In addition, the employer has to make appropriate personal protective equipment available to the affected employees. At the latest when reaching the permissible exposure limit specified in VOLV, the employer is required to implement the planned measures.

Noise

Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most frequent occupational diseases. The noise situation at workplaces can be improved in different ways:

• introduction of new, less noisy processes
• enclosure of machinery
• noise abatement measures in working areas

Once these measures are exhausted, ear protectors have to be worn when exceeding limit values. For many actions, measurements are required. Norsonic offers a range of products for this purpose.

Für viele Maßnahmen im Arbeitsplatzbereich sind Messungen Voraussetzungen. Norsonic bietet Ihnen zu diesem Zweck eine Palette von Produkten an.

Vibration

Mechanical oscillations and concussions or vibrations respectively, which impact on human beings, are referred to as human oscillations. Depending on the vibration-stressed body location, whole-body vibrations or hand-arm vibrations are being distinguished. The stress level depends on amplitude, frequency, direction of vibration, and type of oscillation (vibration or impact). Also of major relevance is the duration of the vibration load.