A campaign to raise awareness about noise-related risks in the workplace has ended following audits at 80 South Australian businesses.
The SafeWork SA campaign was triggered following ReturnToWorkSA data that showed noise induced hearing loss claims had risen 90 per cent in the first nine months of 2023.
Over an eight-month period, SafeWork SA inspectors visited 80 businesses including the mining, construction, manufacturing and transport industries in metropolitan Adelaide and regional SA.
During the audits, SafeWork SA inspectors assessed how noise was being managed to prevent hearing loss among workers, in accordance with the work health and safety regulations.
Common themes identified during the campaign included businesses ‘offering’ PPE to workers in circumstances when it should have been mandatory and only providing audiometric testing as part of a pre-employment activity, with no follow up.
A number of businesses were also incorrectly using spot measures to assess noise hazards when there was a requirement to conduct personal monitoring over a duration of time.
A total of 32 statutory notices were issued where non-compliance was identified during the audits. Failure to conduct audiometric testing (14) and failure to manage the risk of noise exposure (11) were the main reasons for the issuing of the notices.
SafeWorkSa executive director Glenn Farrell said all but one of the improvement notices have now been complied with.
“Given the often long latency of noise induced hearing loss, there is an ongoing need for education among employers of their obligations with respect to noise levels both in terms of assessing the risks, implementing higher-order control measures, where practical, and monitoring the health of their employees,” Farrell said.
“We will remain vigilant beyond the campaign by continuing to conduct noise audits at businesses as part of our visits to sites where noise hazards are present.”
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