Hi all, I am after some advice regarding decent noise measuring equipment for use on various construction sites. We usually have in the region of 20 or more sites on the go at any one time. The usual tasks we carry out are use of Chopsaws, Cartridge Nail Tools, Gas Nail Tools, Circular Wood Saws, and Hand Held Grinders. There is no consistency in the specific environment(s), one day we could be in an enclosed area fixing top & bottom tracks, next day we could be on an open floor fixing external wall tracks or we could be in an open room using a chopsaw to cut through steel channel. Price is an issue but Value for Money is more important. Something simple and easy to use. Any advice on a suitable Noise Measuring Kit or where I could get some information would be appreciated. Thanks in advance Clive

I concur with Alan, a cheapo sound level meter works fine and so does my app on my Iphone which cost me...can't remember, but I would guess nowt.

Clive, I doubt very much if you could conduct a suitable and sufficient noise survey using an App from a phone? it may give you a figure as to how loud the noise is but that's about all. I imagine your aim is to protect the Health & Safety of the operator(s) using the noisy equipment and assisting your employer in complying with their duty of care. If so, you need to get yourself a calibrated sound level meter (either a type 1 or type 2) capable of measuring through the octave band levels to give you enough information to check against the attenuation figures that come with the ear protection provided. This can't be done using a phone App? You should also consider using personal dosemeters on the operators over a set period to see how much noise they have been exposed to during the time frame. Hope this helps, John

I am glad that Paul said it! While an i phone/Android app or a 'cheapo' meter might give you a general indication of the noise levels, I think it unlikely that either will allow you to provide a robust assessment that is likely to stand up to any significant scrutiny i.e. suitable and sufficient. Due to the nature of noise measurement, even relatively 'small' inaccuracies, can have a significant impact on the overall picture. You might end up spending money you don't need to or you might not possibly be protecting where you should be doing. Happy to be wrong! I suggest that you need a class 1 or 2 calibrated SPL meter to measure LEQ. It should be able to measure both A and C weighted levels (not sure if the apps mentioned do!) and ideally you should have your own calibrator. Determining the protection levels can be done using Octave Band Analysis, although this needs an appropriate meter capable of this and this can be quite tricky to do. There are 2 alternative methods, SNR and HML, both of which are IMO easier to use. I believe that both are acceptable to the HSE although I think that HML, which was developed by Bilsom is preferred. In saying that, quite a few manufacturers do provide the SNR value for their ear protection. While you can use a SPL meter to calculate LEPD this can be laborious, time consuming, requires lots of number crunching and is less accurate than using a fully integrated dosemeter. Most dosemeters will provide you with results in a number of formats. Again this should be of a suitable class and be calibrated. In fairness this may or may not suit the situation that you have described however, I personally would not rely on an i phone app as the basis for a formal noise assessment. Hope that helps and makes sense.

Hi Guys, Thanks for all the replies, as we are an accredited contractor by various organisations, any equipment used would need to be calibrated so I think the iphone Apps are ruled out - additonally I don't have an iphone, and most PC's ban the use of phones on site anyway. (Lets not go there) I was looking for more of a kit to include personal dosimeters as well as being able to measure surrounding noise for other persons affected and I will need to work out the protection levels. I now have some ideas to follow up. Cheers Clive