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Posted By Francis MSc MIOSH RSP
Anyone give me a lay-man's view of 70 decibels (ie what it sounds like- eg a "whisper"...).
Thanks
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Posted By David A Jones
Unfortunately it is not that simple - it will depend on what is generating the noise and thus the noise frequency.
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Posted By Francis MSc MIOSH RSP
Yes I know some of the problems in this- I'm just trying to bat away the problem before it arises. Its from a PA system (music/talk)
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Posted By Pete Moran
There are some factors regarding frequency weighting but 70db would be roughly equivalent to the sound you would be exposed to adjacent to a busy road.
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Posted By Merv Newman
If it's words and music I would not expect a frequency analysis to be of much help. I would put 70dB(A) at about the level of a noisy open plan office. Normal speech should be possible ie you don't have to stand close or raise your voice a bit.
It may get on your nerves but I would doubt that it would damage your health.
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Posted By Shelagh O'Sullivan
Francis
I have done some monitoring in areas with packaging equipment
Primary Packaging Area
Machine Not running - Area has LEV on =
68-71dB
Machine Running = 75dB
Machine Not running - Radio ON = 70db
Machine Not running - Radio ON + hoover for dust clearance = 77dB
Secondary Packaging Area
No machinery.
No LEV
Radio ON = 67-70dB
QC Laboratory - Radio ON = 62dB
Factory Corridor = 60dB
Factory Corridor + Floor Cleaning Machine ON = 69db
In another packaging area the machine running, recorded approx 79db and the radio, when turned up loud enough to hear, gave readings of 83dB which will be above 1st action level when the Noise Regs reduce limits in 2006.
I don't know if this helps.
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Posted By Peter Hamilton
Francis, I guess with your background that you understand the science here but you are looking for a subjective view with "sounds like"??
I would say that on a shopfloor with any amounts of engineering machinery, especially older machines, most who work on the shopfloor would call an ambient noise level of 70dB(A) a nice, quiet day. In an office or say a technical lab you would get issues about concentration and people would think it quite noisy.
As an practical example, the simple noise energy levels in many family cars travelling along a motorway can reach 68-70dB(A). ( Before the responses come pouring in, I did stress simple noise levels here didn't I)
There are two other things about radios/pa systems that have troubled me in the past. They have to be heard above any ambient levels that pre-exist their installation in the workplace so if you have survey results for existing workplaces levels that are close to thresholds you will need to check their impact. Probably worse is that they cause untold aggravation about what they should play or even whether they should play anything at all! Good luck with it.
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Posted By ian mcnally
Hi Francis,
Will send you some information directly.
For anyone else wondering what it will be, nothing too exciting I'm afraid just a graph with descriptions of various levels of perceived sound. Not sure what you need it for Francis and since you are MIOSH you will have all the theory anyway. If its training stuff I found a great HSE sound clip about noise induced hearing loss, you can’t beat letting people actually hear for themselves what NIHL suffers are likely to experience. I also use an SLM and pass it around the delegates so they can see the needle actually move when I’m gassing on about it.
Big problem noise or is it? The HSC recently wrote to me asking if I knew of any willing companies (less than 50 employees) that would be prepared to take part in a noise study? I announced it at a recent construction SG meeting (South Downs) no takers yet. If anyone is interested in getting some good HSC exposure I will be happy to pass your details on.
Will all our efforts stop people from carrying out work activity whilst not wearing protection? May help at little so keep on keeping on!
Best of luck
Ian.
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Posted By Ron Hunter
The original HSE Booklet "Essentials of health and safety ay work" (ISBN 0 7176 0716X)had on page 26 an illustration of a meter scale with everyday noise levels annotated. I guess this is the kind of thing you are looking for? e.g. quiet office 40 - 50 dB,converstion 50 - 60 dB , loud radio around 70dB, busy street around the 80dB mark, going on to 'pig house at feeding time' 110dB, 'jet aircraft at 25metres' 140dB.
Hope this helps.
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Posted By Wilf Archer
Hi Francis
I was involved many years ago in trying to reduce the noise levels of dot matrix printers (showing my age here). The majority sat around the 70-72 Db. So as an analogue comparison you can refer to the sound of an old style dot matrix printer.
Hope this helps
Wilf
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