Environmental Psychology

Safety Science 45 (2007) 431–447 www.elsevier.com/locate/ssci Towards more eVective methods for changing perceptions of noise in the workplace
Warwick Williams a,¤, Suzanne C. Purdy a, Lydia Storey a,
Morris Nakhla b, Gael Boon b a National Acoustic Laboratories, 126 Greville Street, Chatswood, NSW 2067, Australia b Sydney Water, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract
This research examined the intervention eVects of a simple one-hour training session designed to raise the awareness of noise as a workplace hazard in conjunction with general safety perceptions and attitudes in the workplace. Several sessions were conducted for two organizations, at diVerent locations. Control groups were also employed with both organizations. Participants were questioned using a ‘safety climate’ questionnaire and a ‘noise at work’ questionnaire. The results indicated that awareness of noise as a workplace hazard can be signiWcantly increased with a simple intervention.
© 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Despite well-established guidelines (e.g., Berger et al., 1986; Royster and Royster, 1990;
NOHSC, 1991), there is still much discussion in the literature concerning the lack of success of hearing loss prevention programs (HLPP) (Dobie, 1995; Moretz, 1990; Waugh,
1991, 1993; Williams, 1999). Various factors may account for this lack of success. Many hearing loss prevention programs focus on the use of personal hearing protectors rather than on the more preferable course of noise elimination as required by eVective risk management procedures.
Hearing protectors are not worn by many workers because of discomfort, interference with communication, etc (Melamed et al., 1996). Workers are generally not motivated to
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W. Williams et al. / Safety Science 45 (2007) 431–447

do anything about noise at

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