Engineering noise control for mines: Lessons from the world.
Milka C Madahana, Otis T Nyandoro, Nomfundo F Moroe
PMID 32242445WHAT IT FOUND
Engineering controls like acoustic curtains and machine enclosures reduced noise by 2–9 dB in global mining studies.
No South African data confirms these methods work locally. Treat international evidence as a guide, not proof, for local mine safety.
Key findings
01Acoustic curtains and barriers reduced noise from 93–104 dBA to 90–94 dBA in a talc-processing plant.
02Retrofitted noise control packages achieved a 2 dB–9 dB reduction in operator exposure, though results varied by machine type.
03There is limited published evidence from South African mines documenting how engineering noise controls reduce equipment noise.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is not a systematic review, so it does not capture all available engineering noise control methods. The review relies on international case studies, and the authors explicitly state there is limited published evidence from South African mines on how these controls contribute to noise reduction. Effect sizes varied by machine type and intervention (e.g., 2 dB vs 9 dB), indicating inconsistent outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these noise reduction figures apply directly to South African mines. The paper states there is limited published evidence from South African mines documenting how engineering controls reduce noise, so international results are not yet validated locally.