Noise monitoring and assessment to manage operational risk and minimise environmental impacts
Noise monitoring and assessment has become a core component of operational risk management and environmental management for industrial and service businesses. Whether you manage a quarry, manufacturing facility, logistics hub, transport business or busy restaurant, a robust environmental noise monitoring program or campaign can be a critical components to businesses success.
Most industrial facilities and businesses that generate noise operate under development approvals or Environment Protection Licences (EPLs), many of which impose noise limits at sensitive receptors. Noise assessment needs to consider sound levels and in many cases consideration of frequency content, tonal characteristics and modification factors. Noise and acoustics is a complex technical field so professional expertise is critical for noise monitoring and assessment.
A well designed noise monitoring or noise assessment can benefit industrial operators and business owners with:
Risk reduction.
Noise monitoring and assessment can allow operators to adjust operations quickly before elevated levels turn from minor issues that can be easily managed or controlled to regulatory breeches. This reduces the risk of infringement notices or shutdown orders Regulatory Authorities.
Improving relations with the community.
Proactive and transparent noise monitoring assessment provides the community with insight, accountability and assurance, building trust with neighbours and communities. A proactive approach supports a business with it’s social licence to operate in a community.
Operational optimisation and cost reduction.
Monitoring and assessment can highlight simple, low-cost and effective options for minimising or mitigating noise emissions. Optimisation and efficiency can lower a businesses impact, while also providing cost and energy savings.
Faster project approvals.
When expanding or modifying operations, defensible noise monitoring data can support impact assessments and reduce uncertainty in the approval process. Noise monitoring programs and historic noise assessments can demonstrate a track record of robust noise management at the site or business.
Ecosphere Science & Technology can provide independent noise and acoustic assessment expertise in:
Baseline environmental noise surveys during day, evening and night periods.
Attended compliance noise monitoring and assessment.
Long-term unattended noise monitoring and real-time monitoring and alerts.
Comparing noise results with licence limits or other regulatory limits.
Characterisation of operational noise sources.
Meteorological monitoring to support noise assessment (e.g. wind speed, wind direction, temperature inversions and atmospheric stability).
Data validation and processing of noise data.
Model sound propagation and prediction of potential future noise impacts.
Basic to comprehensive reporting, depending on the application and constraints.
Review of noise complaints and provision of recommendations.
Review of site activities or noise complaints to provide advice on minimising noise impacts.
Contributions to the design of noise mitigation strategies or noise control equipment.
Provision of expert advice or recommendations on the best practice management of noise, including preparation of noise management plans or specialist input into operational management plans or construction management plans for noise.
Effective noise monitoring supports compliance, protects reputation, and strengthens operational performance. Through rigorous measurement of environmental noise, professional acoustics expertise, and systematic analysis of environmental noise, industrial facilities can confidently achieve compliance while maintaining positive community relationships.
