Bowen EHS, Inc.

ASP/CSP 14 Noise Study Solutions

1. The speed of sound through air is 770 mph. What is the wavelength (in feet) of a
1000 Hz tone?

miles hr 5280 ft ft
770 =1,129
hr 3600 sec mile sec
c
f=
λ
ft
1129
1000 sec -1= sec
λ
ft
1129
λ= sec =1.129 ft
1000 sec -1

The correct solution is C.

2. Suppose the tone in question 1 is producing a sound intensity level of 102 dB at

an employee workstation. According to the OSHA standards, what is the
maximum amount of time an employee can work at the workstation during a
normal shift?
8
Tmax =  L-90 
 
2 5 

8
Tmax =  102-90 
=1.52 hrs
 
 5 
2
The correct solution is C.

3. An employee receives the following noise exposure levels during his work shift.

4 hours @ 80 dBA, 3.75 hours @ 105 dBA, 15 minutes @ 110 dBA

What is the OSHA sound dose received by the employee?

4 3.75 0.25
+ + =4.38 x 100=438%
32 1 0.5

The correct solution is D.

© 2012 Bowen EHS, Inc. Page 1 of 4 ASP/CSP 14 Study Solutions

 Bowen EHS, Inc.

4. What is the OSHA TWA for the dose received in question 3?

TWA = 16.61 log (4.38) + 90 dBA = 100.7 dBA

The correct solution is D.

5. What is the sound pressure level of a sound producing a pressure of 150 Pa?

P  150 
Lp =20 log   =20 log  -6 
=137.5 dB
 P0   20x10 

The correct solution is A.

6. What is the sound intensity level of a sound producing an intensity of 10 mW/m2?

W   10 x 10-3 
L W =10 log   =10 log  -12  =100 dB
 W0   10 

The correct solution is A.

7. An employee is receiving a sound intensity of 85 dBA from a pump located 10

feet from her workstation. A new pump is added 10 feet away on the opposite
side of the workstation. What is the expected new sound intensity level at the
workstation?

85 dBA + 3 = 88 dBA

The correct solution is A.

© 2012 Bowen EHS, Inc. Page 2 of 4 ASP/CSP 14 Study Solutions

 Bowen EHS, Inc.

8. An eight-bladed fan operates at 1000 rpm. There is a 15” duct leading to the fan.
Fiberglass insulation is used to absorb the noise of the fan. The absorption
coefficient for 1” thick fiberglass at a variety of frequencies is given below.

Freq. 125 250 500 1000 2000 4000

Absorption
Coefficient 0.14 0.55 0.67 0.97 0.90 0.85

What is the noise reduction per foot of duct?

N(RPM) 8(1000)
Frequency = = = 133 Hz
60 60

12.6Pα1.4 12.6(π15)0.141.4
NR = = = 0.214 dB/foot
(15 )
2
A
π
4

The correct solution is A.

9. The sound pressure level is 100 dB at 1 foot from a source. How far away must
an employee be to lower the sound pressure level to 90 dB?

d 
dB1=dB0 +20log  0 
 d1 
 1 ft 
90=100+20log  
 d1 
90-100  1 ft 
=log  
20  d1 
 1 ft 
−0.50 = log  
 d1 
 1 ft 
10 −0.50 =  
 d1 
1 ft
d1= =3.16 ft
0.316

The correct solution is B.

© 2012 Bowen EHS, Inc. Page 3 of 4 ASP/CSP 14 Study Solutions

 Bowen EHS, Inc.

10. Add the following sound pressure levels.

50 dB, 70 dB, 80 dB

Using the rule of thumb, you can determine the correct solution is B.

Extra review:
11. A certain beer in a microbrewery has a specific gravity of 1.05. A fermentation vat
has a 5 foot diameter, and the height of the beer in the vat is 8 feet. There is a
sample port at the bottom of the vat. A new employee wants to sample the beer
directly from the vat. The employee opens the valve on the sample port all the
way and holds his mouth ready to drink the beer. What is the pressure (PSI) of
the beer coming out of the sample port into the (soon to be terminated)
employee’s mouth?

Pressure of a liquid is given by: Pressure = ρgh

where:
ρ = density of liquid
g = acceleration due to gravity
h = height of liquid

ρg = weight density of liquid.

Weight density of this beer = 1.05 x 62.4 lbs/ft3 = 65.5 lbs/ft3

65.5 lbs lbs  ft 2  lbs
Pressure = 3 ( 8 ft ) =524 2  2 
=3.64 2
ft ft  144 in  in

The correct solution is A.

© 2012 Bowen EHS, Inc. Page 4 of 4 ASP/CSP 14 Study Solutions