How to reduce noise in a factory

By: Wakefield Acoustics – Industrial Noise Control Specialists | Last Updated: April 2023

How To Reduce Factory Noise

Wakefield Acoustics

Here at Wakefield Acoustics, we often get asked about industrial noise control solutions, and in particular, the noise created in factories. 

As they’re often located near residential areas, the noise created by factories can present a number of challenges for bosses who need to keep noise below a certain level.

There are also legal considerations for employers who must protect employees from being exposed to dangerous levels of noise when at work.

What’s the legal noise limit when working in a factory?

The level at which employers must provide hearing protection and hearing protection zones is 85 dB(A) (daily or weekly average exposure) and the level at which employers must assess the risk to workers’ health and provide them with information and training is 80 dB(A).

There is also an exposure limit value of 87 dB(A), taking account of any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection, above which workers must not be exposed.

How to reduce factory noise

Wakefield Acoustics provides a number of industrial noise control products which can help reduce the noise created in a factory. 

It’s important to understand precisely where the noise issue is coming from and how to best address it in order to effectively reduce factory noise. Our acoustic consultancy services can help you to understand whether your factory is currently meeting current Noise at Work legislation and guidelines, and we can also conduct environmental noise surveys in line with BS4142:2014.

Industrial noise control products which can help reduce factory noise include:

• Acoustic enclosures can be fitted around a noisy piece of equipment to reduce the noise.
• Rectangular splitter attenuators or circular attenuators can be used to reduce duct-born noise.
• Acoustic louvres can be used to maintain airflow requirements in/out of a noisy factory while reducing the level of air born noise. The louvres also prevent water ingress.

Reducing background factory noise

Absorptive acoustic panelling can be positioned to absorb noise from noisy machinery and help to reduce the reverberant noise.

Factory noise reduction in residential areas

Ensuring that factory noise does not negatively impact nearby residential areas is very important, not just from a legal standpoint but also in terms of building good relations with the local community.

There are a couple of ways you might reduce factory noise in residential areas:

• Acoustically enclose any noisy external plant equipment.
• Install acoustic louvres and/or duct-mounted attenuators at points at which inlet/outlet airflow passes through the building envelope.

Reducing factory noise at night

It’s particularly important to reduce factory noise near residential areas at night when the majority of residents will be disturbed.

• Determine if any noisy equipment can be turned off throughout the night.
• Close any roller shutters to prevent noise breakout from the factory.

If your factory needs to reduce its noise levels please get in touch to discuss ways in which we can assist: