Why Companies are Pushing for a Quieter Warehouse

Accidents and injuries are costly, and they can take an even steeper toll in a constrained labor environment where employees are scarce and turnover rates are high. By prioritizing safety and ergonomics, companies are creating healthier work environments, improving productivity levels and reducing turnover.

Hearing protection is one area that may get overlooked in the warehouse or DC, which isn’t generally as loud as the typical factory or manufacturing plant. However, conveyors, casters, sorters and other pieces of equipment can converge to create noise that employees have to contend with during long work shifts.

“Preventing physical injuries remains a top priority in the workplace, and the last decade has seen an increased awareness of the importance of noise reduction and mitigation,” says Piyush Patel, product marketing manager at Dematic, whose Noise Reduction portfolio includes a 3D noise mapping audit, analyzation of sound data and solution recommendations.

Preventing hearing loss

The need for noise control in the workplace is very real: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), occupational hearing loss is one of the most common workplace injuries. Forty percent of all transportation and warehousing workers have been exposed to hazardous noise, which is defined as any sound with the frequency, intensity or duration to cause permanent hearing loss.

The bigger problem is that most workers (59%) who are exposed to noise do not wear any type of hearing protection. This creates the potential for hearing loss, which has been linked to tinnitus, heart problems, cognitive decline and mental health concerns.

“As end users become more aware of the risks associated with hazardous noise, there’s an increased effort to reduce noise levels within their facilities,” Patel says. “There’s also a growing trend toward governments regulating noise pollution.”

In certain states, for example, governments limit average noise levels to 80 to 85dbA. “While it’s difficult to enforce, regulators perform surprise inspections that can result in citations or fines if there are violations,” Patel adds. A work environment with hazardous noise levels can also result in injuries. For example, when workers are unable to hear equipment, such as a forklift moving through the warehouse, they can be injured or even suffer fatalities.

Other factors pushing companies to assess warehouse noise levels include a tight labor market; employees who want to work in modernized, safer and quieter facilities; and the fact that newer materials handling equipment is quieter than its older counterparts.

In response, some companies are upgrading their facilities or building new ones that feature reduced noise levels. For example, an existing, or brownfield, warehouse can be upgraded with quieter equipment to reduce noise at the source.

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