4.—(1) It shall be the duty of the occupier of a workplace to take, so far as is reasonably practicable, such measures to reduce or control the noise from any machinery or equipment used, so that no person at work in the workplace is exposed or is likely to be exposed to excessive noise.
(2) It shall be the duty of the responsible person to take, so far as is reasonably practicable, such measures to reduce or control the noise from any process, operation or work carried on by him in a workplace, so that no person at work in the workplace is exposed or is likely to be exposed to excessive noise.
(3) The measures referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) may include one or more of the following:
(a)
replacing noisy machinery, equipment, processes, operation or work with less noisy machinery, equipment, processes, operation or work;
(b)
locating noise sources away from hard walls or corners;
(c)
isolating noise sources, so as to minimise the number of persons at work in the workplace who are exposed to the noise;
(d)
constructing suitable acoustic enclosures to contain noise emitted by machinery, equipment, processes, operation or work;
(e)
erecting an effective noise barrier larger in size than the noise source to provide acoustic shielding;
(f)
operating pneumatic machinery, equipment or tools at optimum air pressure to minimise noise emission and installing suitable pneumatic silencers at pneumatic line outlets;
(g)
installing mufflers at intake and exhaust openings that emit noise;
(h)
mounting vibrating machinery on vibration isolators or separate foundations;
(i)
isolating persons at work in the workplace in an acoustically shielded room or enclosure, where reduction of noise at the noise source is not practicable;
(j)
lining hard surfaces with acoustically absorbent materials to reduce noise reverberation;
(k)
isolating or reducing the size and vibration of vibrating surfaces or applying damping materials to vibrating surfaces;
(l)
reducing the height from which objects are allowed to fall or applying a resilient material at the point of impact or at the point of interaction of moving objects;
(m)
maintaining machinery and equipment at regular intervals to reduce noise emission.
(4) Where it is not practicable to reduce the noise, it shall be the duty of the occupier of a workplace or the responsible person to limit the duration of time persons at work in the workplace are exposed to the noise so that such persons are not exposed to excessive noise.
(5) Any person who contravenes paragraph (1), (2) or (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable —
(a)
on conviction, to a fine not exceeding $10,000; and
(b)
in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
