ArtUSA Industries -- Noise Surveys

ArtUSA Noise Control Products Inc.
We are noise pollution solution providers. By offering engineering, fabrication and installation of the absolute best noise reduction and noise control products available our company has set the bar in the soundproofing industry. Sound-proofing is our passion. We design, fabricate and install acoustical panels, acoustical insulation, sound barriers, acoustical wall panels, sound-barriers, noise barrier, sound enclosures, acoustic insulation, noise barriers, sound proofing and sound barriers.

Acoustical Surveys

If you need a professional to conduct a workplace noise survey so you'll know whether or not noise levels are high enough that OSHA requires your workers be provided with a hearing conservation program. You can call the experts at ArtUSA can determine your employees' time-weighted noise exposure for an 8, 10, or 12-hour work shift with a noise dosimeter. This information provides the basis for selecting adequate hearing protectors for your workers and or engineering measures. ArtUSA also conducts noise measurements and octave-band analysis to determine compliance with municipal noise ordinances and the best solutions.

Guessing doesn't count when it comes to knowing how much noise your employees are exposed to at work! Call on the professionals at ArtUSA to let you know exactly where you stand in terms of workplace noise exposure!

There are usually four types of noise surveys. A preliminary survey, a general survey (this is often part of our formal proposal) to assess noise levels in various areas of a plant, an exposure survey (although we do not perform these test we can usually recommend industrial hygienist) to determine employee noise exposures, and an engineering survey to assess the feasibility of engineering noise control.

The equipment used in a general noise survey should meet OSHA and ANSI specifications. In addition, a calibrator must be used to verify the accuracy of the sound level meter. As a minimum, the sound level meter should have ANSI Type II precision. In most cases we use Type I instruments which require an even higher degree of accuracy

The instrument we use contain integration circuitry, which computes the energy average of the noise over a specified monitoring period. This average is called the equivalent level or Leq.

Many companies still use meters with a "moving needle" on a VU display to indicate the sound level. While such a meter is adequate for steady noise, when the noise fluctuates (which is more typical than not), the needle "bounces" making it difficult to read.

Meters that display the Leq provide an objective reading and correlate better with human response to noise than maximum, minimum, or "eyeball" average readings. A general noise survey can be used for variety of purposes. First, a preliminary survey can be performed as a screening to determine which areas of a plant should be examined more thoroughly.

Specifically, the purpose of an engineering survey is to investigate what methods can be implemented to reduce equipment noise emissions. First we examine the equipment operation to familiarize us with the problem and to assess the location of employees relative to the equipment noise sources.

Next, a reasonable noise level criterion is established based applicable regulations and industry standards. A goal which is too stringent can mean high costs.

Once a goal is established, equipment noise levels are sampled using ANSI type I precision rated instruments. In most cases, we use either a digital audio tape (DAT) recorder or a meter with capture capabilities to have complete flexibility in analyzing the noise. In other cases, we use CEL metering or monitoring equipment. In either case, our aim is to obtain specific octave band spectra to identify the frequency content of the noise. This information is important to specify the proper control methods and materials.

1) Identify employees with exposures over a time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 dBA who must be included in a hearing conservation program,

5) Identify areas which should be considered for administrative or engineering controls, and

There are two methods used to conduct exposure surveys. The first is called personal monitoring. In this method, dosimeters are worn by employees to continuously sample the noise. Dosimeter readings must be performed with caution because disgruntled employees can sabotage measurements. In addition, you must ensure that sample durations are long enough and that the noise exposure is representative. Dosimeter readings are most useful when employees are mobile within a large plant (e.g., refinery, petrochemical or power plants).

The second method is called area monitoring. Here, sound level meters are used to sample noise at representative employee locations. Based on these levels and information on employee movement into different areas or jobs, the long-term noise dose for each job category is calculated.

When conducted by a noise specialist, the area method is preferred because: 1) calibration is more accurate. 2) Infrequently operated plant equipment can be activated for a short time so its effect can be included in the noise exposure analysis, and 3) the resultant noise exposure profile provides diagnostic value and permits "what if" analyses to assess the affect of administrative or engineering controls.

An extensive noise exposure profile shows the sound levels measured in the plant, the partial noise dose of various job tasks, and the total daily noise exposure for each job category, a hearing loss risk assessment, and a recommended minimum rating for hearing protectors.

Community Noise Control

Residents wish to live in peace and quiet. Too often that peace and quiet is disrupted by noises of industrial facilities, cars, planes and other sources.

We have been contracted by neighbors and by the owners of the sites creating the noise to take noise measurements in the community and to assist in resolving any issues.

We can make calculations to determine expected noise in the community with the site operating. We can assist to design noise control into the facility if noise is expected to be unacceptable.

HVAC DESIGN
Noises created by Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems are disturbances in theaters, offices, meeting rooms, classrooms and other public spaces. To make matters worse, manufacturers continue to cut corners to remain cost competitive, creating unacceptable noise levels. Here are just a few questions that you should be asking when determining whether noise has been given enough thought in HVAC design:

AFFIRMATIVE NOISE CONTROL ACTION PLAN

Too often noise control is not taken seriously when new facilities are being designed or when industrial hygiene surveys indicate excessively high noise in existing facilities. Noise control falls near the bottom of the priority list, never to get the funding needed for implementation. ArtUSA has an approach that gets attention and noise control actions!!! The Affirmative Noise Control Action Plan.

Managers will spend funds to reduce noise when they can understand the results to be gained for the money to be spent. Our Affirmative Noise Control Action Plan provides the answers most asked when determining the requirements, expected results and costs for noise control.

The Affirmative Noise Control Action Plan includes:

People who study acoustics define noise as complex sound waves that are aperiodic, in other words, sound waves with irregular vibrations and no definite pitch.

In engineering, noise is defined as a signal that interferes with the detection of or quality of another signal.

The combined disciplines of psychology and acoustics (psychoacoustics) study the response of humans to sound. They define noise as unwanted sound.

Is music noise? Is the hum of tires on a highway noise? Is the surround-sound movie theater noise? Is the philharmonic concert noise? And what about the accompanying beat for aerobic exercises at the health club? Sounds that are soothing for some are irritating to others.

An expert on noise, K.D. Kryter (1996) in his text, Handbook of Hearing and the Effects of Noise, (New York Academic Press) defined noise as "acoustic signals which can negatively affect the physiological or psychological well-being of an individual."

Basically, noise is unwanted sound. It is a pollutant and a hazard to human health and hearing. In fact, it has been described as the most pervasive pollutant in America.

Noise in our environment affects physical heath. Noise also has psychological and social implications and affects our well being and quality of life.

Unfortunately, public awareness of the hazardous effects of noise is low - especially noise considered to be non-occupational. To this end, the fourth Wednesday in April has been declared International Noise Awareness Day (INAD). As part of International Noise Awareness Day, a "Quiet Diet" is encouraged and is launched by observing 60 seconds of no noise from 2:15 to 2:16 PM. The reduction, if not stopping of everyday noises around us raises our awareness of the impact noise has on health and hearing.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/ more than 30 million Americans are exposed to hazardous sound levels on a regular basis. Of the 28 million Americans who have some degree of hearing loss, over one-third have been affected, at least in part, by noise.

Damage to the Inner Ear

Your ear receives sound waves and sends them through a delicately balanced system to the brain. Part of this remarkable system, the cochlea, is a chamber in the inner ear filled with fluid and lined with thousands of tiny hair cells. The hair cells signal the auditory nerve to send electrical impulses to the brain. The brain interprets these impulses as sound. When you are exposed to loud or prolonged noise, the hair cells are damaged and the transmission of sound is permanently altered.

Noise Levels

Both the amount of noise and the length of time you are exposed to the noise determine its ability to damage your hearing. Noise levels are measured in decibels (dB). The higher the decibel level, the louder the noise. Sounds louder that 80 decibels are considered potentially hazardous. The noise chart below gives an idea of average decibel levels for everyday sounds around you.

Painful:

150 dB = rock music peak

140 dB = firearms, air raid siren, jet engine

130 dB = jackhammer

120 dB = jet plane take-off, amplified rock music at 4-6 ft., car stereo,

band practice

Extremely loud:

110 dB = rock music, model airplane

106 dB = timpani and bass drum rolls

100 dB = snowmobile, chain saw, pneumatic drill

90 dB = lawnmower, shop tools, truck traffic, subway

Very loud:

80 dB = alarm clock, busy street

70 dB = busy traffic, vacuum cleaner

60 dB = conversation, dishwasher

Moderate:

50 dB = moderate rainfall

40 dB = quiet room

Faint:

30 dB = whisper, quiet library

Warning Signs of Hazardous Noise

You must raise your voice to be heard
You can't hear someone two feet away from you
Speech around you sounds muffled or dull after leaving a noise area
You have pain or ringing on your ears (tinnitus) after exposure to noise.

Hazardous Noise

Sounds louder than 80 decibels are considered potentially dangerous. Both the amount of noise and the length of time of exposure determine the amount of damage. Hair cells of the inner ear and the hearing nerve can be damaged by an intense brief impulse, like an explosion, or by continuous and/or repeated exposure to noise.

Examples of noise levels considered dangerous by experts are a lawnmower, a rock concert, firearms, firecrackers, headset listening systems, motorcycles, tractors, household appliances (garbage disposals, blenders, food processors/choppers, etc.) and noisy toys. All can deliver sound over 90 decibels and some up to 140 decibels.

For more information on noisy toys,

Can't my ears "adjust" and "get used" to regular noise?

If you think you have "gotten used to" the noise you are routinely exposed to, then most likely you have already suffered damage and have acquired a permanent hearing loss. Don't be fooled by thinking your ears are "tough" or that you have the ability to "tune it out"! Noise induced hearing loss is usually gradual and painless, but, unfortunately, permanent. Once destroyed, the hearing nerve and its sensory nerve cells do not regenerate!

An audiologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) can conduct a hearing evaluation to determine if you do have a hearing loss. If you are routinely exposed to noise, you should have your hearing checked by an ASHA-certified audiologist on a regular basis, at least once a year.

Physical Changes

The most notable physical effect of noise exposure is loss of hearing. Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) affects children, adolescents, young adults, and older adults. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), National Institutes of Health (NIH) the National Institute on Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have noted that, because of noise in our society, hearing loss is appearing much earlier in life than would have been expected just 30 years ago.

Noise not only affects hearing. It affects other parts of the body and body systems. It is now known that noise:

Increases blood pressure
Has negative cardiovascular effects such as changing the way the heart beats
Increases breathing rate
Disturbs digestion
Can cause an upset stomach or ulcer
Can negatively impact a developing fetus, perhaps contributing to premature birth
Makes it difficult to sleep, even after the noise stops
Intensifies the effects of factors like drugs, alcohol, aging and carbon monoxide

Research is on-going and continues to provide data suggesting the devastating effects of noise on health. Research is also investigating factors that may contribute to one's susceptibility to noise induced hearing loss.

Other Changes

Noise can also hamper performance of daily tasks, increase fatigue, and cause irritability.

Noise can reduce efficiency in performing daily tasks by reducing attention to tasks. This is a concern of employers when it comes to assuring workers' safety. It is also a concern to a growing number of educators interested in human learning.

Because of noise, we often find ourselves fatigued and irritable. We don't even realize the effect until the noisy hubbub stops and we feel relief.

From another perspective, your own inability to hear and understand others clearly can cause you to feel angry and frustrated. Instead of accepting the problem is yours, you misdirect your feelings to others and blow up at them.

Noise also makes speech communication harder. More concentration and energy is needed not only to listen and hear over the noise but also to speak louder above the noise. As a result, voices can be strained and vocal cord abuses, such as laryngitis, develop. It is a physical strain to carry on even an enjoyable conversation in the presence of noise.

One demonstration of the effects of noise on behavior was done by recording how passers-by responded to a person-in-need in the presence of noise. While a noisy lawnmower was running, a woman with a broken arm dropped some books and tried to pick them up. No one stopped to help her. When the lawnmower was turned off and the scene repeated, several people stopped to help her retrieve the books.

Researchers have also looked at the effect of excessive noise in school classrooms and have drawn conclusions that are seemingly obvious, yet often minimized. In one study, test results of students from a school near railroad tracks were compared to results of students far away from the tracks. Students in the quiet school performed better on the test. Another study found that students whose classrooms face noisy streets do not do as well in school as students in classrooms facing away from noisy streets. Finally, another study demonstrated that noise distracts both teachers and students.

There is no question that noise is both a public health hazard and an environmental pollutant as well. Many of its effects are well known and many of its effects continue to unfold through research.

Protect Yourself from Noise

The key word in dealing with noise is prevention! We want to eliminate unwanted noise when we can. When noise cannot be eliminated, we want to keep it as low as possible. Here are some things to do:

Wear hearing protectors when exposed to any loud or potentially damaging noise at work, in the community (heavy traffic, rock concerts, hunting, etc.) or at home (mowing the lawn, snow blowing the driveway, etc.). Cotton in your ears won't work.

Hearing protectors include ear muffs and ear plugs (not swimmer's plugs), some that are custom-made and individually molded. This protection can be purchased at drug stores, sporting goods stores or can be custom-made. Check with your audiologist to find out what best suits you.

Limit periods of exposure to noise. Don't sit next to the speakers at concerts, discos, or auditoriums. If you are at a rock concert, walk out for awhile give your ears a break ! If you are a musician, wear ear protection--it is a necessity! Take personal responsibility for your hearing.

Pump down the volume! When using stereo headsets or listening to amplified music in a confined place like a car, turn down the volume. Remember: if a friend can hear the music from your headset when standing three feet away, the volume is definitely too high. Don't be afraid to ask others to turn down the volume.
Educate yourself about the damaging effects of noise and what you can do to prevent your exposure to noise.

Educate others and take action! Educate your children through discussion and by example. Wear your ear protection and encourage your children to follow your example. Provide them with ear protection. Remind them to turn down stereo headsets. A rule of thumb is that, if sound from a head set can be heard by others 3 feet away, it is too loud.
Be a responsible consumer. Look for a noise rating when buying recreational equipment, children's toys, household appliances, and power tools. Choose quieter models, especially for equipment that you use often or close to your ears like a hair dryer. If there is no noise rating, contact the manufacturer and ask for one!