the industrial noise revolution: optimising warehouse acoustics

A man wearing a hard hat and vest looking at a laptop overlooking a warehouse floor

Warehouses are hives of activity, full of the sounds of heavy machinery, people working and products being moved around. They’re often large spaces with hard surfaces for sound waves to bounce off, leading to reverberation and amplified noise. That poses several practical issues that make noise control in warehouses essential. With that in mind, Oscar Acoustics has put together its top tips for significantly improving warehouse acoustics.

why are warehouse acoustics important?

It’s crucial that acoustic controls are applied in warehouses. Excess noise can endanger staff, damage hearing, increase stress and cause health problems.

When noise levels reach in excess of 85 decibels, employers are required by law to provide hearing protection – but this can lead to further problems. Heavy machinery such as forklifts are in constant use. If staff aren’t able to hear oncoming vehicles or warning calls it can easily result in serious injuries.

Loud noise also makes communication tricky. If staff aren’t able to hear instructions clearly it can lead to mistakes and negatively affect productivity on the warehouse floor and in any onsite office spaces.

warehouse noise control top tips

Noise in warehouses might be inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be detrimental. There are many steps businesses can take to acoustically treat warehouses to ensure safety and efficiency.

The main source of warehouse noise is usually the machinery and equipment. Acoustic enclosures or barriers can shield much of the warehouse from the noise they generate, but are often expensive, impractical to install and won’t address the root cause of the problem.

Another solution could be positioning equipment away from walls and corners to minimise the reverberation they’re causing. However, the layout of the warehouse could make this impractical and moving machinery around could disrupt business.

The most economical treatment is to install seamless acoustic sprays which absorb sound waves and reduce reverb. When the right product is applied to walls or ceilings, sound levels can be dampened to a dramatic extent.

SonaSpray, Oscar Acoustics’ range of acoustic sprays, is an ideal solution. SonaSpray is quick to apply, making it the most practical solution for warehouses that doesn’t significantly impact operations. This ensures minimum working downtime in existing structures and the ability to meet critical project deadlines in new constructions.

It can also be applied to almost any surface. That includes ceilings, so it can do its job in a place where it’s not at risk of being damaged by the general hustle and bustle of the warehouse.

SonaSpray absorbs sound instead of reflecting it, diminishing sound wave energy and reducing reverberation time. The overall effect is a ‘dampened’ aural environment where there’s less volume and echoes. That means lower decibels, making warehouses altogether safer places to work.

Warehouse owners looking to create a calmer acoustic environment should also consider what other aims acoustic products could help them achieve.

For example, the SonaSpray range exceeds the latest fire safety requirements and are backed up by numerous third-party sustainable design and health certification certificates, including BREEAM, SKA, Living Building Challenge and multiple points towards a project’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating. The right acoustic solutions will help make your warehouse safer and more environmentally friendly.