ASIC Miner Noise and Hearing Safety Notice

Air-cooled ASIC miners use high-speed fans and can produce server-room or industrial levels of continuous noise. The figure for one model must not be applied to another. Manufacturer measurements depend on distance, fan speed, ambient temperature, operating mode, equipment condition and measurement method; multiple machines can materially increase the overall exposure.

Check the product page, rating information and current manufacturer documentation for the exact model. As an example only, Bitmain states 72 dBA for the Antminer S19k Pro at 25°C with its fan at maximum speed. That is not a guaranteed site reading or a safe-exposure assessment.

For UK workplaces, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations use daily or weekly personal exposure values: lower exposure action values of 80 dB(A), upper exposure action values of 85 dB(A), and an exposure limit value of 87 dB(A) after accounting for hearing protection. Peak-noise limits also apply. Noise risk depends on level and duration, so a room measurement alone is not a complete assessment.

Apply the control hierarchy before relying on hearing protection:

1. Choose quieter, hydro-cooled, immersion-cooled or remotely hosted equipment where suitable.
2. Locate miners away from occupied spaces and prevent unnecessary access.
3. Maintain fans, bearings, ducts and mountings; address abnormal vibration, rattling or changing fan noise promptly.
4. Use suitable isolation mounts, lined ducts, silencers, barriers or engineered acoustic enclosures designed with the airflow and fire load.
5. Reduce time in noisy areas, plan maintenance with equipment safely shut down where possible, and mark controlled hearing-protection zones.
6. Provide correctly selected and fitted hearing protection where residual risk requires it. Protection must not be used as a substitute for reasonably practicable engineering controls.

Do not underclock or change firmware solely as a noise control unless the setting is manufacturer-approved, technically suitable and consistent with the warranty and operating instructions.

Employers must assess employee exposure, eliminate or reduce risk so far as reasonably practicable, provide information and training, maintain controls, and arrange health surveillance where a risk to health remains. Obtain a competent occupational-noise assessment when exposure may reach an action value or the result is uncertain.

At homes, rented premises and mixed-use buildings, consider residents, neighbours, vibration transmission, night-time operation, planning or statutory-nuisance controls, tenancy terms and insurance. Obtain any landlord, insurer or authority permission required. Do not install industrial air-cooled miners in bedrooms, children's rooms or normal living spaces, and prevent access by children, visitors and pets.

Keep alarms and spoken warnings audible. Hearing protection or acoustic treatment must not prevent people from recognising smoke alarms, equipment alarms or emergency instructions. A customer remains responsible for confirming that its site and operating pattern are suitable and lawful.

Our workplace noise responsibilities

For work controlled by The Mining Shop UK Limited, we assess and reduce exposure, maintain engineering and administrative controls, provide suitable information and hearing protection where required, restrict access and arrange health surveillance where the risk assessment indicates it. See our Health, Safety and Fire Policy.

An acoustic enclosure must never starve the miner of cooling air, cause hot-air recirculation, conceal overheating or use combustible lining unsuited to the temperature and electrical environment. A competent design must account for rated airflow, pressure drop, heat rejection, intake and exhaust separation, dust filtration, access, emergency isolation, fire detection and maintenance.

Do not block, reduce or redirect air paths contrary to manufacturer instructions. Stop and safely isolate equipment if there is an abnormal increase in noise, fan failure, scraping, smoke, burning smell, repeated thermal shutdown, connector heat or vibration. Do not re-energise until the cause has been assessed by a competent person.

Read this notice with our Electrical Safety, Product Compliance and Recall Notice, Warranty Policy, ASIC Miners UK FAQ and the model-specific manufacturer manual. Product information supports planning but is not an occupational-noise survey, acoustic design or site risk assessment.