Construction noise

Construction noise is unwanted sound caused by construction works or activities. It is temporary and often changes as construction activities change and work progresses.
Construction activities that have the potential to generate unwanted noise or vibration include:

• Major earthwork activities
• Project vehicle movements
• Reversing alarms and beepers
• Controlled blasting
• Rock hammering and crushing
• Bridge construction
• Installation of piles
• Concrete manufacturing
• Asphalting and concreting
• Sawcutting and breaking of rock and concrete
• Loading, unloading or moving equipment and construction materials
• Tunneling.

We prepare a noise and vibration management plan for each project to document how we will work to reduce construction noise and vibration.

It includes:

• Identification of potentially impacted stakeholders (residential and business)
• An outline of all construction noise conditions and requirements
• Details of all mitigation measures that will be implemented in areas where the construction noise and vibration impact may exceed guidelines
• Procedures for managing noise and providing respite periods when works at night and early in the morning are required.

View management plans

Mitigation measures adopted to reduce and manage noise and vibration during construction may include:

• Maximising the distance between noisy equipment and residential areas
• Scheduling noisy work at less sensitive time periods (such as during normal daytime work hours where possible)
• Regular maintenance of equipment
• Installing noise control equipment on machinery and tools
• Noise compliance monitoring
• Locating compounds, stockpiles and crushing plants as far as possible away from residential areas
• Use of temporary noise barriers
• Scheduling respite periods for high noise activities, such as rock crushing (such as two hours on, two hours off)
• Installing noise mitigation treatments designed for road traffic noise as early as possible to provide additional relief during construction
• Scheduling noise generating activities outside of school examination periods
• Providing advanced notice of planned noisy work to neighbouring communities to help them plan 
• Use of multiple explosive charges of the smallest possible size in sequenced detonation rather than single large blasts

Unfortunately, in some instances, we have limited options available to reduce noise impacts given the type and range of machinery and equipment required to carry out the tasks. Where noise is excessive and prolonged, respite periods will be scheduled to provide some relief to neighbours.