According to the ordinance of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy dated 26 September 1997 on general principles of safety and hygiene at work the employer is obliged to ensure protection for employees against threats related to exposure to noise, and in particular he should use:
- Technological processes that do not make excessive noise
- Machines and other devices that make the lowest noise possible that does not exceed acceptable limits
- Solutions that reduce noise levels in the work process.
Acceptable noise limits in office work are specified in the Polish Standards:
1. PN-N-01307: 1994 – acceptable equivalent level of noise within the time spent by an employee at a work-place:
- 55 dB – in administration, office and conceptual work rooms
- 65 dB – in secretary’s offices and customer service offices
- 75 dB – in rooms with noise sources e.g. rooms with photocopying machines.
2. PN-97/B-02151/02 – acceptable equivalent level of noise permeating to the room from all sources at the same time:
- 35 dB – in administration, office and conceptual work rooms
- 40 dB – in administration offices without internal noise sources
- 45 dB – in administration offices with internal noise sources
According to ISO 9241-6 concerning ergonomic requirements for work-places with computers, in the case of difficult and complex tasks, an equivalent noise level should not exceed 35-55 dB.
Prepared on the basis of the following standards PN-N-01307: 1994, PN-97/B-02151/02, PN-EN ISO 11 690 – 1-2: 2000; ordinance of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy dated 26 September 1997 on general principles of safety and hygiene at work.
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