A power station in Devon is undergoing safety tests over the next few weeks. As part of the testing the station at Langage in Plymptom will create short loud bursts of “jet like” noise as the steam pressure release valves are checked.
According to the BBC, twenty pressure valves will be tested and the noise is expected to last for about one to two minutes for each valve.
Local residents have been warned about the operation, as have the emergency services.
If you are wondering why the power station have gone to such lengths to publicise these tests, there are good reasons. Excessive noise can be a health risk and can cause irreversible damage to a person’s hearing, ranging from Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears) through to complete deafness. Fortunately, although the noise levels the residents will be exposed to will be exceptionally loud, the length of time that they are exposed to them is key, with short blasts meaning that the risk of injury is kept to a minimum.
Noise induced hearing loss is unfortunately a common injury in the workplace and, according to the Health and Safety Executive, it can be difficult to detect as the effects build up gradually over time.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 have been formulated to place requirements on employers to conduct risk assessments to see if their employees fall within those who are, or are liable to be exposed to the lower exposure level or above, (the lower exposure level currently stands at 80 decibels, so to give you an idea of scale, a lawnmower would operate at 90 decibels). If they do, then employers need to take measures to try and minimise the risks to the worker. But what can they do? The HSE suggest, amongst other ideas:
- Use a different, quieter process or quieter equipment
- Introduce engineering controls:
- Limit the time spent in noisy areas
If they cannot alter the outside influences then employers could provide workers with earplugs or head phones to reduce noise exposure.
If residents had been exposed to these “jet like” noises (a jet taking off from 100 yards is about 120 decibels) for a long period of time then their hearing could have been at serious risk. Thankfully, the power stations have taken appropriate measures to limit the public’s exposure to the noise.
