Breaker blankets keep the peace
Our DEMCO rock breaker blankets are the quietest thing to happen on demolition sites in a long time. And the neighbours will agree.
As urban development pushes construction deeper into residential neighbourhoods, the site boundary is no longer the limit of your responsibility. Councils, neighbours, and consent conditions all have something to say about what happens beyond the fence line.
For companies looking to win more work, a “whole site and beyond” mentality isn’t just good practice. Increasingly, it’s becoming a requirement. You can’t simply turn up, break up, and move on. Noise compliance, community impact, and site reputation all follow from job to job. The good news is that managing all three has gotten a lot simpler.
DEMCO blankets are a heavy-duty, noise deadening solution for rock breakers. These are designed so the noise doesn’t carry as far – making for far quieter wider environment without slowing down the task at hand.
How does a DEMCO blanket work?
The DEMCO noise deadening blanket wraps around the body of the rock breaker, acting as a heavy-duty acoustic shroud. Made from strong, tear-resistant materials built for demanding site conditions, it’s designed to absorb and contain the noise generated at the source, before it travels across the site and beyond.
An optional debris guard is also available, which reduces shrapnel from the pick, keeping the area around the breaker safer for operators and anyone else on site.
The blanket fits DEMCO rock breakers from 1 tonne to over 100 tonnes. So, whether you’re running a compact excavator on a tight suburban section or a large rig on a major civil project, there’s a blanket sized for the job.
Installation and removal takes around five minutes. There are no tools, no fuss, and no impact on rock breaker performance. It goes on before work starts and comes off at the end of the day.
How loud is your rock breaker?
A standard rock breaker operating on site generates between 100 and 110 decibels. To put that in context, it’s as loud as a chainsaw and roughly equivalent to standing close to a live band.
Prolonged exposure at that level causes hearing damage and, at a distance, it’s the kind of noise that brings strained relationships, complaints, and stop work orders from neighbours and councils. Which, let’s be honest, no one wants to listen to.
With a DEMCO noise blanket fitted, noise can drop to close to 90 decibels. Independent testing carried out in New Zealand recorded an 8-decibel reduction during concrete breaking. On-site testing in Qatar recorded reductions of 6–9 decibels across multiple measurement distances. Those aren’t lab numbers – they are real-world site results. And reduction of 8–10 decibels can be the difference between compliance and a noise abatement notice.
While these figures are important, it’s not necessarily the noise at the point of impact that is important. Rather, the blanket works best for ensuring noise doesn’t carry as far. The echo of a rock breaker across neighbourhoods and through valleys is dampened considerably.
Here’s a (very approximate and in no way scientific) table of decibel levels…
It’s not just the noise
Noise is the headline, but the DEMCO blanket does more than just turn the volume down. Rock breaking generates significant quantities of dust, and the blanket is helpful for suppressing some of this dust at the source.
Then there’s potential hazards from debris. In certain situations, hard rock can split into very sharp shards, and this shrapnel can even break windscreens. The optional debris guard helps contain material close to the point of impact, reducing the risk of injury to operators and ground crew.
The noise blanket and debris guard make for a quieter, cleaner and safer site which ultimately, is good for your crew, your neighbours, and your reputation. In a market where getting consent to work in urban environments is increasingly competitive, being the contractor that keeps the noise down and the dust contained is worth the investment.
Want to know more about DEMCO rock breaker blankets? Get in touch with the team at Earthworm and we’ll help you find the right fit for your rock breaker, your next project, and your next project’s neighbours.