Industrial Noise Control the Singapore Experience Kia Tang

Industrial Noise Control – the Singapore Experience

Kia Tang TAN Deputy Director (Hygiene) Dr Magdalene O Y CHAN Director Occupational Health Department Occupational Safety and Health Division Ministry of Manpower, Singapore

Industrialisation Noise Pollution: attendant “necessary evil”? Over 68, 800 workers are exposed to noise in Singapore Progressive transformation over 40 years… From entrepot trade to manufacturing… Now increasingly supported by information technology

Changing Industry Profile, Improving Trends • 8 -fold decline in incidence of NID (1976 -2004) • Decreasing noise exposure levels…

No Single Solution … • Regulatory mechanism • Training, information & guidance • Incentives • Engineering & technological innovations

Raising Awareness Hearing Conservation On Wheels … Mobile Audiometric Testing Facility… 1976 -1983

Regulatory Framework Factories Act • Effective means to reduce noise • Hearing protectors Factories (Medical Examinations) Regulations • Pre-employment & annual examinations • Audiometry • Designated Factory Doctor

Regulatory Framework Factories (Noise) Regulations Permissible exposure limits Noise Control measures Competent persons for noise monitoring & noise control

Regulations Relating to Environmental Noise Limits Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources Public Health (Boundary Noise Limits for Factory Premises) Regulations Environmental Pollution Control (Control of Noise at Construction Sites) Regulations

Codes of Practice Selection, Use, Care and Maintenance of Hearing Protectors Industrial Noise Control

Codes of Practice Noise Control on Construction and Demolition Sites

Surveillance and Enforcement Activities Checks at factory registration stage High risk workplaces targetted Focus on noise labelling, noise control, assessment reports and control planning National exposure database

Incentives For Action … Tax Incentive Scheme One-year accelerated depreciation allowance Low-decibel new machinery or Installation of noise control equipment Noise level at or below 82 d. BA

Incentives For Action … OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH BEST REDUCTION IN EXPOSURE PRACTICES Machine/Process AWARD >6 d. BA reduction Entire Premises • Entire Premises < 90 d. BA • Hearing Conservation Programme • Entire Premises <85 d. BA

Raising Awareness, Building Capabilities… Information & Guidance Guidelines on Industrial Noise & Vibration Control Guidelines on an Effective Hearing Conservation Programme Guidelines on Noise Labelling Fact Sheet on Noise-induced Deafness Fact Sheet on the Factories (Noise) Regulations 1996

Raising Awareness, Building Capabilities… Training of Competent Persons Noise monitoring Noise control Noise emission and labelling Audiometric screening Monitoring Facilities & Practice Standards

Raising Awareness, Building Capabilities… Promotional Activities Reaching out to industry Collaborative projects on Hearing Conservation

Sharing Best Practices Learning from Success Stories… Global Web Portal

Meeting the Challenge Multi-pronged Approach Proactive Strategy Leveraging Partnerships Focussed Efforts