Noise and Vibration

Chapter 21
 Noise - History

• 100 Years – Noise Exposure results in

permanent hearing Loss!
• 1918 – Vibration causes permanent
damage to hands and fingers.
Sound Wave
 Physics of Sound

• C = Speed of propagation

• λ = c/f
• C = speed
• f = frequency
• λ = wavelength
 Physics
• Frequency = 1000 cycles per second

• C = 1128.6 feet/sec (344 meters/sec)

• Λ = 1128.6/125 hz
• =9.02 feet
 Physics

• Sound is pressure
• 1 P = 1 Newton/m2
• P = Pascal
• L = 10Log(P/Pref)2
• Pref = 20 µPa
 Physics
• Sound Pressure = 0.2 Pascals What is
• Sound level?

• L = 10Log(0.2/20 µPa)2
• L = 80 dB

• dB = decibels (deci = 1/10)

Directional
 Sound
• dBA vrs dBC weighting

• A = close to human hearing

• C = Flat
Noise Control
• Barriers
• Distance
• Isolation
 Limits
• 84 dBA 8 hours AF/DOD (4 dB)
• 90 dBA 8 hours OSHA (5dB)
• 85 dBA 8 hours TLV (3dB exhange)

See Chapter 21, page 445

See TLV booklet page 117.
 Limits
5 dBA exchange Rate

• 90 dBA for 8 hours

• 95 dBA for 4 hours
• 100 dBA for 2 hours

What is the limit for 30 minutes?

 Distance

• If a noise source is 96 dBA at 10 feet

• What is the intensity at 20 feet?
 Distance
• Answer: 90 dBA

• Calc:
L =L- 20 Log(D2/D1)

L = L -20 Log (20/10)

L = L- 20 Log (2)

L = L-20 (0.301)

L = 96dbA - 6.01 dB = 90dBA

Rule of Thumb: Double distance, drop 6 dB

 Noise Calc - Activity
• A noise source is 102 dBA (Measured) at
• 25 feet. What will the noise level be at 60
feet?
 Activity
• L = 20 Log(D2/D1)

• L = 20 Log (60/25)
• L =20 Log(2.4)

• L = 20 (0.38)
• 7.6 dB

• 102 dBA – 7.6 dBA = 94.4 dBA

 Controls
• Turn the Noise Source
• Place Barriers (Frequency dependant)
• Isolation/Absorption materials
Plywood 125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 8000

1/32nd 22 24 29 33 40 43 49

19 20 24 27 33 39 43
1/64th
 General Notes
• Lower Frequencies more difficult
• Specialized materials
 Hearing Exposure Effects:

• Tinnitus – Ringing, buzzing, whistle

– Indicator of damaging noise exposure
• Acoustic Trauma – loss due to a sudden
intense noise (Explosion)
• Threshold Shift – change in the response
of hearing in certain frequencies
Noise Induced Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss,
Sources
Hearing Loss – Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL
 Rules of Thumb

• Shout at 3 Feet
• Loud Voice at 1 foot

• It’s Hazardous Noise!

 Speech Interference Level
• SpIL = Limit to 55 dBA background
• Difficulty using phones, communicating
Noise Measurement

•Hand-held
•Octave Band Analysis
•Graphic Level Instruments
 Moving the Source

• rotation
 Medical Examinations

• Baseline
• Periodic
– Annual
– 48 hours noise free
– Threshold shifts
 Medical Examinations

• Threshold shift determination is

– Frequency Dependant
– Age factors
– smoking
 Noise Control

• Hearing Protection

27 dBA
19-23 dbA

18-23 dBA
Noise Control

27 –33 dBA reduction

Noise Control
 Noise Control

• Noise Source: 117 dBA, 2 hours

• V51Rs

• Noise Exposure:?
 Noise Exposure

• 117-27 dbA = 90 dBA

• Adequate?

• In some cases, have to use plugs and muffs!

 Vibration

• Human exposure divided into:

• Whole Body
• Hand-arm vibration
 Vibration

• Causes:
– Vibration induced White Finger (VWF) or
– Raynauld’s syndrone
 Vibration

• Exposure: (Book)
– 8 Million workers
Vibration

- Charts
 Vibration
Duration m/s 2 gDelta

4 Hrs < 8 hrs 4 0.40 g

2 hrs < 4 hrs 6 0.61
1 hr < 2 hrs 8 0.81
< 1 hr 12 1.22
G = 9.81 m/sec

> 16 hz may need special consideration!

 Variations:

• UK 2.8 m/sec 8 hours

• Canada Same.
 Average Vibration

• Average Vibration: 9.0 m/sec2 -

Jackhammer (Time Limit?)

 Average Vibration

• After Training/Techniques:

• 5.5 m/sec2
ELV = Exposure Limit Value EAV = Exposure Action Value
Hand Direction
Stage Assessment Table
 Table 4
Average latent periods for vibration-induced
diseases in different occupations
Occupation Stage of VWF Latency
(years)
Foundry worker Tingling 1.8
Numbness 2.2
Blanching 2.0
Shipyard worker Tingling 9.1
Numbness 12.0
Blanching 16.8
Chain saw operator Numbness 4
Grinder Blanching 13.7
 Table 2.  Workers Potentially Exposed to Hand-Arm Vibration

No. of Workers Industry Type of Tool

500,000 Construction Handtools

200,000 Farming Gasoline chain saws

14,000 Metal working Handtools

Furnace cleaning using powered
54,000 Steel
handtools
30,000 Lumber and wood Gasoline chain saws

34,000 Furniture manufacturing Handtools

100,000 Mining Pneumatic drills

Truck and auto
250,000 Handtools
manufacturing
64,000 Foundries Handtools

Total 1,246,000
 Controls
• Anti-vibration tools
• anti-vibration gloves
• Proper work practices
– Keep hands warm
• Medical Surveillance
Break