Backup Alarms: the noise scourge of construction projects

Vehicle backup alarms are ubiquitous on all construction sites, mines, and quarries. And for good reason; they are intended to warn people standing behind the equipment that the vehicle is moving backwards and that the operator might not see them well. Backup alarms have saved countless tradesmen on countless construction sites from great harm or worse (including the author). But backup alarms are typically quite loud and annoying on purpose in order to achieve that goal; as loud as 115 dBA at 4 feet behind a vehicle with a pure tone of about 1,250 Hz. Unfortunately, that makes them the number one source of community noise complaints for any given project. This paper will examine the regulatory (OSHA) requirements for backup alarms in the United States; review historical noise complaint data from major construction sites; review a comparison demonstration test done on different quieter alarm options; provide a real-world interview with a mining company on the subject; and include the author’s recommendation for the best practice available today in order to balance the needs for both worker safety and community peace and quiet.