Working environment - server noise. Is this affecting my hearing?

[adhutton]

Just a quick question to you all...

 

How many of you work in an office which doubles as your server room?

 

If you do, is it very noisy from the servers?

 

Our office has the servers in it, 12 of them, and various switches and the noise level is quite high.

 

I am used to the constant background drone, but I think it may be damaging my hearing and possibly the hearing of my colleagues.

 

Any thoughts people?

 

Andrew

[DT2]

Pardon?

 

 

Why not book in for an audiology assessment through your doc.

 

DT

[JonWPS]

I've just moved out of our server room. The noise was constant droning, and I'd get so used to it I wouldn't notice it until I was away for a little while and came back. We tested the decibel reading and it wasn't above the maximum allowed apparently, but I got the move anyway. Great so far but might regret not having air con come the summer.

[3s-gtech]

Speak to your H&S rep. From my understanding of it, and limited research - you should not be working in there for extended periods, and it definitely shouldn't be your office. It may affect your hearing, as it's a constant tone within a higher frequency range, where damage can more easily occur. Think tinnitus!

[tekins]

Exactly the same here, I had the noise levels tested and it's below the damaging DB level (which was 75 I believe, could be wrong there though). hopefully we should get the chance of a quieter area when the library is changed to ICT!

[DT2]

Tinnitus is a hideous affliction, I've had it severely in my left ear for well over a year, and as a result now wear a device that 'masks' the noise - great until you take it out.

I acquired this under entirely different circumstances, but the law remains the same, the employer must provide sufficient hearing protection if you're required to work for any length of time in a noisy environment.

 

DT

[NikChillin]

We work in a room with the servers and as said before, the decibel level is ok but I have noticed ringing in my ears ove the last 18 months. More so in the left ear which faces the noise.

We have no where to move though.

[jamesfed]

Biggest thing to remember is that IT in schools have come a long way - no longer is it the RM store box that sat in the corner and made a buzz its now all about rack mount servers each with 8 HDDs, dual processors and more RAM sticks that I have fingers and toes (well maybe a slight over exaggeration).

 

Either way times have changed and your working environment needs to reflect that change.

 

If the noise is getting too much point it out to your HandS guys - make the point that over the past few years there has been a significant amount of new kit installed and that it has risen the noise level (if possible get someone to meter it).

[tech_guy]

Eh, what?! Sorry, I can't hear you above the noise in here!

 

We work in the server room which doubles as our office. I have raised the issue of noise before but was told that the level of 84db was acceptable.

 

On top of the racket, I have a hearing condition (APD) which makes using the telephones a tad tricky at times.

[plexer]

HSE - Noise: Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

[korova_blue]

We had a health and safety assessment done on our office when the servers were in with us and they ruled it was hazardous to health, so the servers are now in a separate purpose built room. I don't think being expected to work with those levels of constant background noise is acceptable - it was certainly causing us to have earaches and such like. It's one of those things you don't notice how bad it is, until they are gone, then you think, 'how did I put up with that for so long??!!'

[AngryTechnician]

We work in a room with the servers and as said before, the decibel level is ok but I have noticed ringing in my ears ove the last 18 months. More so in the left ear which faces the noise.

We have no where to move though.

 

Too bad - for the school. The decibel levels simply mandate when action needs to be taken regardless of worker's current health, but if you are getting ringing in your ears that can be attributed to the environment you work in, then it becomes a H&S problem anyway and they HAVE to do something about it. See your H&S rep, see your doctor, and if necessary, see your union. Hearing damage is usually permanent and is not to be taken lightly.

 

My office was also the server room until Easter. I was lucky enough to have a large enough office that they could throw up some partition walls in the corner where the server racks was, and still have an office left.

[adhutton]

I've worked at this school for about a year now and we have the (very loud) server cabs in our office. I have noticed a definite affect on my hearing.

 

I really need to go and have a hearing test, but I fear they may say I need a hearing aid!

 

It may just be coincidence that my hearing is not as good as it was, but I am not so sure....

 

Andrew

[simpsonj]

Tinnitus is a hideous affliction, I've had it severely in my left ear for well over a year, and as a result now wear a device that 'masks' the noise - great until you take it out.

I acquired this under entirely different circumstances, but the law remains the same, the employer must provide sufficient hearing protection if you're required to work for any length of time in a noisy environment.

 

DT

 

Out of interest, what device do you have that masks the noise of tinnitus? I actually quite like the server noise as it drowns out the tinnitus in my ears which I've had since I was a teenager. Might need to look into reducing it somehow, though if I find it especially bad, I tend to plug in an iPod into the speakers I have set up, or use headphones. Not ideal by any stretch, but it helps me.

[jinnantonnixx]

We were looking at these cabinets, but I found them after the installation contracts were drawn up.

 

Might be worth a look.

 

If I remember correctly, you can hire them rather than buy them outright.

 

Server Cabinets - Virtually silent, Sound Proofed Server Cabinet Rack Solution

[zag]

I have a few servers in my office and a gigabit switch, but you can silence them easily with the correct parts. A simple power supply upgrade on the servers and ssd drives make one hell of a difference. Also look into virtualizing and only having a few physical servers.

[featured_spectre]

Undertaking CSCS card training atm, and I can tell you from a h&s viewpoint, you should not work in an environment where the noise level is above normal conversation levels without adequate ear protection for more than 3 hours constantly. This includes classrooms, server rooms, offices, building sites, etc.

 

Normal conversation levels are around 60db.

Edited December 5, 2011 by featured_spectre

[featured_spectre]

Just did a bit more reading in my books for the CSCS...adequate breaks should be 15 minutes for every 1 hour 30 minutes in the environment where the noise level is high - This is why when you see people using jack hammers etc not doing anything, its from a H&S pov to prevent their hearing getting damaged (and also to help prevent white finger vibration and Raynauds phenomenon...not a pleasant thing)

[cromertech]

I used to be in the server room and actually had to threaten union intervention before anything was done. I then got moved into a store cupboard but this was loads better than the noisy environment of the servers. Now I am in the admin office with the rest of the admin staff so I even have someone to talk to now (albeit they are all of the female persuasion and I'm the only male)

[featured_spectre]

Having worked in an all female environment for 3 years, I don't mind working with women or blokes, they give as good as they get in terms of banter so its all good

[Chris_]

The server room used to be my office also, the noise was really bad and I had to stand in a cupboard to make mobile phone calls. I kept telling my line manager that it was excessive and could well be over the HSE limits.. I eventually got moved, but only because a desk became empty elsewhere in the school.

[featured_spectre]

Advice from the HSE...put requests to be moved due to noise in writing, and send it to your immediate line manager/supervisor. If it is not dealt with in a timely manner (1 working day on building sites, 1 working week in offices and schools) then go to your HSE rep or phone the HSE themselves. You cannot be given a disciplinary for calling the HSE in and getting them to do their job which will help you do your job properly.

[AngryTechnician]

You cannot be given a disciplinary for calling the HSE in and getting them to do their job which will help you do your job properly.

However, the school may go out of their way to find 'some other' reason to discipline you, so take advice from your union before making the call to the HSE.

[DT2]

Out of interest, what device do you have that masks the noise of tinnitus? I actually quite like the server noise as it drowns out the tinnitus in my ears which I've had since I was a teenager. Might need to look into reducing it somehow, though if I find it especially bad, I tend to plug in an iPod into the speakers I have set up, or use headphones. Not ideal by any stretch, but it helps me.

 

Its a little device that sits where a standard hearing aid would, but rather than amplifying sounds it generates white noise. You can then switch this to the level of your tinnitus, with a view to reducing it gradually until you get to the point where it's barely noticeable.

It works, but as soon as I take it out the noise just comes flooding back. Night times are particularly difficult, as are telephones from time to time.

 

It just doesn't make up for the fact my hearing in that ear is damaged around speech frequencies.

 

DT

Edited December 6, 2011 by DT2

[IanT]

One of the academies I work in the office is the server room - doesnt really bother me!