ITS offers prevention plans and action plans for noise control and soundproofing in companies in all sectors of activity and in all contexts.
prevention plans and action plans are required for noise control in companies |
Prevention plan and action plan for noise control and soundproofing in companies with respect to regulatory objectives
A prevention plan and an action plan for noise control and soundproofing must be considered in many contexts to ensure compliance with the regulations in force:
- in the workplace :
- with regard to Directive 2003/10/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of February 6, 2003, on the minimum health and safety requirements relating to the exposure of workers to the risks due to physical agents (noise) is respected (in Europe) [1] [2]
- with regard to the decree of August 30, 1990 taken for the application of article R. 235-11 of the labor code and relating to the reverberation control of work premises - in France, in the case of a daily sound exposure level above 85 dB(A) - [3]
- for the protection of the environment :
- (in France) with regard to a prefectural decree [4]
- (in France) with regard to the non-embarrassment of the neighborhood [5]
These two problems (noise at work and in the environment) often coexist in practice, not only in the sector of energy where they are often both pregnant, given the high acoustic power levels of the noise sources involved and their large size e.g. in the case of combustion turbines implying a slight decrease in noise with distance, at least in the near acoustic field.
In addition to such concerns in terms of a prevention plan and an action plan for the fight against noise and soundproofing in a company, which are generally those of the operator of a site – e.g. industrial, that he whether it is an establishment classified for environmental protection (ECEP) or not - or a company in which noisy machines and equipment are installed, the possible concerns of machine manufacturer (original equipment manufacturer - OEM - may be mentioned :
- impacting the conditions of a professional activity such as soundscapes in the environment :
- (in Europe) with respect to directive 2000/14/EC relating to noise emissions into the environment from equipment intended for outdoor use
Prevention plan and action plan for noise control and soundproofing in companies with respect to normative references
A prevention plan and an action plan for noise control and soundproofing in a company is useful in many contexts to ensure compliance with standards (in force or not, then of remanent use):
- e.g. in the workplace [6] [7] :
- standard ISO 11690-1 Acoustics - Recommended practice for the design of noise-reduced workplaces containing machinery - Part 1: Noise reduction strategies
- standard NF S 31-080 Acoustics - Offices and associated spaces - Acoustic performance levels and criteria by type of space
- standard NF S31-199 Acoustics - Acoustic performance of open office spaces
- the series of standards dealing with the determination of sound power levels of noise sources (e.g. ISO 3744, withdrawn standard)
Approach proposed by ITS with regard to prevention plan and action plan for noise control and soundproofing in companies
The approach proposed by ITS with regard to a prevention plan and an action plan for noise control and soundproofing in companies is as follows (with respect to which the ITS client can choose to only entrust ITS with some steps, if others have already been carried out by others in a way that satisfies him) :
- on site diagnosis, by a highly qualified human resource :
- measurement (on site) of noise indicators (sound levels i.e. in terms of sound power or in terms of sound pressure at specified locations) and parameters related to the acoustic quality of premises and buildings (reduction index for airborne noise, reverberation time, spatial sound decay); depending on the case, these measurements require the use of one or more sound level meters and noise generators
- analysis of the results of measurements (possibly: carried out by others), impact study, comparison (for the purposes of a compliance check) with reference values (which can constitute as many objectives for an action plan); miscellaneous calculations for determining the characteristics - in terms of sound emissions - of noise sources, for evaluating their respective contributions to the observed situation (including: for their prioritization), for evaluating the modes of sound propagation in an enclosed space, between two spaces, or outdoors; drafting of noise maps
- simulation, by an experienced human resource, of the predicted effectiveness of modifications to the existing acoustic situation, by considering different layout scenarios (and by varying the acoustic performance for the envisaged soundproofing means) :
- noise reduction equipment at source e.g. soundproof casing and machine cowling, enclosure for noisy equipment, building with high sound insulation performance, silencer for ventilation networks, orifices and ducts for dust removal systems, waste suction and shavings; industrial silencer for aeraulic networks and pressurized fluids (including for high temperature exhaust gases), nozzles and chimneys
- materials limiting the propagation of noise e.g. soundproofing partition, noise barrier and noise reducing-wall (in enclosed spaces or outdoors), acoustic screens and sound-absorbing dividers in the particular case of shared offices (e.g. open-spaces)
- materials reducing the reverberation of buildings and premises (including: workspaces, technical rooms) i.e. sound-absorbing lining for walls or in the form of suspended elements (e.g. for ceiling or under-roof)
- formulation of recommendations, in the form of the description of paths to improvement involving documented soundproofing actions, accompanied by a level of acoustic performance verifiable in practice and a budget price for the supply (with or without installation) of noise level reduction equipment being concerned
Choice soundscapes everywhere. This is ITS slogan, and this is therefore what the prevention plans and action plans for noise control and soundproofing offered by ITS, tend towards.
[1] for the daily noise exposure level L EX, 8h: 80 dB(A) and 85 dB(A) are the thresholds, respectively lower and upper, triggering the action; 87 dB(A) is the authorized limit value
[2] for the peak sound pressure ρpeak: 112 Pa i.e. 135 dB(C) and 140 Pa i.e. 137 dB(C) are the thresholds, respectively lower and upper, triggering the action; 200 Pa i.e. 140 dB(C) is the permitted limit value
[3] for the decrease in sound level by doubling the distance to the source
- in the room empty of any machine or production facility: 2 dB(A) to 4 dB(A) is (depending on the surface on the floor) the (low) limit authorized
- after installation of machines and production devices: 3 dB(A) to 4 dB(A) is (depending on the surface on the ground) the (low) limit authorized
[4] imposing a sound pressure level not to be exceeded at the property boundary e.g. 60 dB(A)
[5] emergence is regulated; this is the difference between the A-weighted equivalent continuous pressure levels of ambient noise (site considered in operation) and residual noise (in the absence of noise generated by the considered site, but measured over its period of operation) - in regulated emergence zones (REZ), and depending on the context - :
- 5 or 6 dB(A) during the day
- 3 or 4 dB(A) at night
[6] as these are non-mandatory application documents, not always subject to international consensus, no list can be exhaustive in this area
[7] depending on the case, the recommendations for standards in terms of acoustics relate to sound levels e.g. A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level (often noted LAeqT), reverberation times (often noted Tr), spatial decay (often denoted DL); the limit values vary according to the room and the activity considered, as well as according to the ambition in terms of acoustic performance/quality