British Columbia

Employers turn to white noise warning as vehicle back-up beep loses effect

WorkSafeBC says more employers are replacing the beeping back-up alarm on vehicles with a white noise alarm instead for safety reasons.

WorkSafeBC says people have learned to ignore conventional back-up alarms

WorkSafeBC says over time, people have learned to ignore conventional back-up beeping that signals a reversing vehicle which is part of the reason many employers are turning to white noise. (Stephen Senne/The Associated Press)

WorkSafeBC says more employers are replacing the beeping back-up alarm on vehicles with a white noise alarm instead for safety reasons.

The agency says 11 workers were killed between 2006 and 2015 as they were pinned or struck by vehicles backing up.

Officials say people have gradually learned to ignore conventional back-up alarms because the noise has become so common, and they are now accustomed to it.

The white noise broadband alarm uses the same cadence as the beeping but broadcasts a range of frequencies and emits a sound that is in a more focused area — meaning people are less likely to tune out the sound.