Acoustic control rooms for heavy industry noise compliance

PROJECT:

Townsville acoustic control room upgrade

INDUSTRY TYPE:

Resources

CLIENT:

Copper Refineries

LOCATION:

Townsville, QLD

Initial project requirements:

Copper Refineries Pty Ltd operates one of Australia’s largest electrolytic copper refineries in Townsville, North Queensland, producing up to 300,000 tonnes of high-purity copper cathode each year. Like many large-scale refining operations, managing operator noise exposure across the facility is an ongoing WHS obligation.

Within the refinery’s tankhouse and processing areas, operators work close to heavy mechanical equipment and automated stripping machines. These environments require clear sightlines, operator protection, and reliable access for maintenance.

Copper Refineries approached Flexshield Group to supply purpose-built acoustic control rooms that would bring operator noise exposure within WHS compliance limits, while maintaining clear sightlines to surrounding plant processes. The rooms also needed to withstand long-term industrial use and allow straightforward access for their maintenance teams.

To minimise disruption on site, the structures were required to arrive on-site ready for installation.

Flexshield solution:

The Flexshield team designed and supplied a series of modular acoustic control rooms, constructed using the V50 Sonic System steel panel design. The rooms were manufactured with coated steel acoustic modular panels finished in Dulux Grey Nurse to suit the refinery environment.

Each room was tested to achieve an acoustic rating of Rw31dB with an NRC rating of 1.00. This gives site engineers and WHS teams verified performance data to support compliance reporting. As required, full visibility of surrounding plant processes was maintained throughout.

Key features included:

Double-glazed acoustic vision panels positioned around each room for clear supervision of operations
Sonic Access acoustic doors with integrated glazed viewing panels
Removable wall sections behind control panels to allow maintenance access
Marine-grade plywood flooring with Sonic Mat overlay for durability and additional sound control
Powder-coated steel support frames with certified lifting lugs to allow safe craning into position
Stainless steel fixings suited to an industrial refinery environment

The control rooms were delivered pre-assembled and ready for installation. This approach reduced installation time and enabled safe handling during on-site placement.

Copper Refineries made several further orders to Flexshield for multiple control rooms in varying sizes to suit different locations within the refinery. Flexshield provided detailed drawings for approval before manufacture to ensure the rooms aligned with our client’s operational needs.

Results achieved:

The new acoustic control rooms provide operators with a quieter, more controlled environment while maintaining direct visibility of plant processes.

By separating operators from surrounding machinery noise, the rooms directly support Health, Safety, and Productivity, allowing teams to monitor plant operations without leaving a compliant, protected environment.

Their modular steel construction provides durability to meet refinery conditions and allows maintenance teams access to equipment when required.

Supplying the rooms pre-assembled also reduced on-site installation time, supporting productivity during plant upgrades.

Copper Refineries has since become a repeat Flexshield Group customer. This growing relationship reflects the reliability of our design and the performance delivered by Flexshield in a demanding industrial setting.

For a detailed assessment and consultation, call Flexshield on 1300 799 969 or contact us online.