Noise Control: Introduction

A noise usually has influence on two groups of people:

(a) The occupants of a site, house or factory

(b) Third party people like persons living and working in the locality.

When dealing with problems caused by noise, one must consider three different aspects of its effect on people and they are annoyance, communication interference, and hearing-damage risk. Although there is no single widely accepted standard for indoor noise environments, there have been numerous studies which provide recommended dB(A) levels for specific situations. Table Cl lists dB(A) level indoor design goals and NC criteria recommended in the ASHRAE system guides for steady background noise in various indoor spaces.

Table C2 OSHA Standard on Permissible Noise Exposure

 

Table C2 gives the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act) Noise Standards which are designed to protect workers exposed to hazardous noise environments from incurring permanent hearing loss.

The control of noise abuse in the community is strengthened by the enforcement of the Noise Control Ordinance No. 75 of 1988. Technical memorandum have been published by Environmental Protection Department for the assessment of noise from

(i) Percussive pilling.

(ii) Construction work.

(iii) Places other than domestic premises, public places or construction sites.