Noise can also affect your neighbors. More and more jurisdictions now have ordinances restricting noisy operations to daylight hours. As more highway construction is taking place at night to minimize delays for motorists, noise from construction may have to be reduced to prevent projects from being delayed. Although many in the industry believe that construction sites are inherently noisy, there are many ways in which they can be made quieter. Boring is a much quieter way to do the same work.
New equipment is generally much quieter than old equipment.
Some manufacturers have gone to great lengths to make their equipment quieter. Ask the manufacturers about the noise levels of their equipment, and consider these levels when making your purchase. For example, noise-reducing saw blades can reduce noise levels by 50 percent when cutting masonry blocks. Old equipment can be made quieter by simple retrofits, such as adding new mufflers or sound absorbing materials. Check with the manufacturer on ways to do this, or check the MSHA website for information on retrofitting surface mining equipment- much of which is also used in construction.