Noise at Work Risk Assessment To abide by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations

Noise at Work Risk Assessment

To abide by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations, a risk assessment must be completed by an employer for determining the risk level in the workplace. An assessment of risk assessment for noise at work will perceive how employees are at risk, from what areas e.g. the actual processes or machines where noise is a problem, how their intention is to protect employees from probable damage and how it will be monitored and implemented.

It is stated in the regulations that action is needed if exposure to personal noise is more than 80 dB or if there is exposure of employers to loud and intermittent noises of greater than 135 dB. The signs typically in a workplace that could have noise issue include the noise level being intrusive such as for being heard people have to raise their voices, usage of noisy power tools or machinery in a day for more than half an hour or working in noisy industries like engineering or construction. There may not be a problem in few workplaces except from particular locations like plant and server rooms.

For completing a noise risk assessment number of suggested steps can be followed:

– Determine the existence of varied types of noise
– Take a dB reading of the areas involved
– Determine who may be exposed to the noise
– Identify the steps that have to be taken for controlling noise exposure
– Evaluate how staff are affected e.g. probable exposure to the noise level and document working patterns
– Provide information and training on the risks involved
– Consider surveillance of health and decide on how frequently to test employees
– Record the risk assessment so that review can be done on it
– Decide who will be answerable and the timescales involved
– After taking all other measures provide protection equipment
– Review the risk assessment. This will usually be there at least every year however more if there is an introduction of new equipment

Noise Levels

External assistance may be required for assessing risk for noise at work for measuring dB levels in your workplace; however buying a sound meter will cost less than £100 and are simple for operating. If you are unsure about noise being an issue, testing the sound level is worthwhile for knowing surely. If the levels of noise are less than 80 dB action level, formal action is not required but offering protection maybe sensible so that at least staff have the option of using it or not e.g. ear plugs outside plant or server rooms.

Conclusion

Assessing risk for noise at work should not be an activity hard to complete, however the actions required for reducing the workplace noise might not be very easy to implement.

Music Studio Construction with Soundproofing Products

Music Studio Construction with Soundproofing Products
If you have a choice to make from available rooms for a Music studio construction with soundproofing products then select the largest one. The reason is that more space allows more musicians to take part, it is better for sound effects and you can add more instruments to your collection. Select the quietest room if you have a choice so that outside noise in minimum. For your music studio, a hard floor like concrete, hardwood, or tile is better. Avoid carpets because it can interfere with frequencies. To avoid foot noise problem ground floor room is better. Of course if there is no choice, you have to do with available space.
Methods of Soundproofing Music Studio
Soundproofing a wall of the music room to prevent outside noise from entering in or inside noise escaping walls of that room need to be made more massive. This will prevent the walls from vibrating due to sound energy generated. To make wall more massive, additional materials like mass loaded vinyl may be used. Similar to adding mass, damping is another soundproofing method for music studio construction with soundproofing products which works by converting kinetic energy of sound waves to heat. One of the popular damping components in the market which is also effective is green glue. Sandwiching panels like plywood, drywall, or medium density fiber board (MDF) stuck together by green glue, you can make a good sound barrier for the home studio. This can be used for ceilings, doors, floors and walls of the room. Two structures inside the music room can be touching each other and due to this they may transfer vibrations from one unit to the other. Decoupling is a method of isolating such units with soft materials like rubber. Decoupling principle can be used in other ways also, like for example, floating floors where again rubber isolators are used on surfaces where such equipment is mounted. Leaving an air gap is another method to block sound. A floating ceiling or wall with resilient grid system and sound clips is another popular soundproofing method. Yet another method is using isolating studs with joist gasket tape fitted to the walls, ceilings or floors. The above techniques can be combined to eliminate any resonance that may develop in the room. To seal air gaps caused by electrical outlets, door and window gaps use foam gaskets. To close the gap between doors and the floor use acoustic door bottoms.
Conclusion
Even though you can avoid outside noises from vehicles, shops, neighbors etc., by choosing quieter time to work, there is no escaping from noise generated from equipment inside your room and to get good quality of sound for recording, there is no alternative to soundproofing your studio. Music studio construction with soundproofing products is the solution though it is an expensive job.

Moisture and Impact Resistant Products

Moisture and Impact Resistant Products
Moisture and impact resistant products are designed for internal use in wall assemblies in areas where impact/penetration, surface durability, moisture, mold, and mildew resistance are major concerns. Given below are few such products.
Benefits of Moisture and Impact Resistant Products
A cement board is made by combining reinforcing fibres and cement formed into sheets that are 4 foot by 8 foot or 3 foot by 5 foot, 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick that are usually used as a backing board for tiles. Cement board can be screwed or nailed to steel or wood studs for creating a substrate for vertical tile. It can be attached horizontally to plywood for kitchen counters, tile floors, and backsplashes. Its usage can be on the outside of buildings for exterior plaster (stucco) systems as a base and at times as the finish system itself. Cement boards adds strength and impact resistance to the wall surface in comparison to gypsum boards that are water resistant. Cement board is also manufactured in thin sheets with polymer modified cements for allowing bending for curved surfaces.
Presently Sorbothane material is the most efficient in energy absorption. This material has the best resistance to shock. Whether a shock resistant material is needed for protecting workers from getting injured, product from damage, or equipment from breakdown, Sorbothane is the best for meeting your need. Runners, pneumatic tool users, industrial equipment operators, sensitive cargo, and machine parts all benefit from the properties of Sorbothane that is shock resistant. Avoidance of damage, injury and loss will improve the bottom line of your business.
For many applications Impact Modified Acrylic Sheet offers superior impact strength. This includes displays, signage, skylights, doors, windows, and any exterior or interior application where the requirement is durability. It is cheaper than polycarbonate sheet. It provides thermoforming capabilities and superior weatherability. It is available in widths up to 104″ and thicknesses of .040″ to 500″. It has various impact blend percentages with custom blends available.
Machine-grade polycarbonate is an amorphous thermoplastic material having high modulus of elasticity, high-impact strength, and good dimensional stability. These properties along with good electrical characteristics make polycarbonate stock shapes of machine grade a great choice for electrical/electronic applications. Its impact resistance, strength, and optical properties also make it a suitable material for certain structural applications requiring visual translucency.
Polycarbonate is a transparent thermoplastic showing great electrical properties and remarkable impact resistance properties. Also, its good chemical resistance and low moisture absorption rate make it a very adaptable engineering material and can be used in many industrial applications. For applications that require added stiffness, glass fibre filled polycarbonate can be got with fibre filler levels in the range 10% to 40%, but the standard is 20% glass fibre.

Mass Loaded Vinyl Sound Barriers

Mass Loaded Vinyl Sound Barriers
Mass loaded vinyl (MLV) sound barriers are made from vinyl of high grade to which silica (sand) and barium salts are added to make it equally effective like lead sheeting minus the health hazards of lead. Many suppliers now deliver mass loaded vinyl as soundproofing material to their customers. To name some suppliers, Acoustical Surfaces, Inc., Sound Isolation Company, Sound Proofing America, Green Glue Company and Super Soundproofing Company are few among them.
Applications
Mass loaded vinyl as a sound barrier material is used in homes, hospitals, businesses, music studios, theaters, and quite a few places. It possesses so many adaptable characteristics, that it can fit into nearly any situation. The other benefits of MLV are that it fulfils the building code regulations for fire ratings and does not pose any threat of toxicity to those who occupy the building.
Method of Fixing MLV
The best way to use mass loaded vinyl sound barrier to achieve the desirable effect is to fix it directly to the wall with the help of studs. In case there is any problem doing this at the time of constructing the main walls, the other way to do this is to fix it to the drywall and paint it or fit it to the rear side of paneling and then fix it to the drywall with finishing nails.
MLV for Homes
Mass loaded vinyl sound barriers can also be installed on the floor to insulate it from noises from below as well as to prevent impact noises like things getting dropped or children running from disturbing the floor below. Many houses today are built with home theater in the basement and the living quarters on the upper floors. To insulate floors above from the disturbance from the media room, the flooring of the upper floor and the ceiling of the media room below are treated with MLV.
MLV for Theaters
It is important to provide a theater with excellent acoustic quality. It has become a widely accepted practice to treat the floors, walls, and ceilings of a theater. Before MLV was introduced in the market, it was the practice to use raw lead sheets to act like a sound barrier and prevent noises from outside leaking in. Now, after the mass loaded vinyl sheets became popular, lead sheets are not used any more. The advantages of using MLV, like the ease with which it can be installed, the absence of toxicity unlike lead, and the lower cost have made mass loaded vinyl sheets the favorite alternative to raw lead.
Mass loaded vinyl sheets can be screwed, nailed, stapled or can be used as a curtain after reinforcing grommeting it. For situations where you need effective control of transmission of noise and sound, mass loaded vinyl sound barriers are the right choice as a sound barrier.

Home Theater from Scratch – Design and Soundproofing Products

Home Theater from Scratch – Design and Soundproofing Products

Before building the rooms for the home theater the duct system for the room must be looked at. If this detail is overlooked then the efforts to soundproof a room will be a waste. If a very soundproof room is built and the duct work is left untreated then there is no use. Sound is very similar to water and travels through the least resistant path. Any and all common air spaces are always the first path of least resistance. The sound created in the room very efficiently and quickly finds the duct register, passes through the duct to the rest of the house. Two basic ways are there for treating a duct, an in-line duct silencer can be bought and installed or duct has to be lined with a soft surface like Quiet Liner. It is cheaper to line the duct but a little more work may be required. But usually the duct has to be upsized since putting something inside it will lessen the ID (internal diameter) of the duct. It is recommended to use either one 90 degree bend or two 45 degree bends so that sound is forced to pass through an acoustical liner and not travel in a straight line.

Wall/Ceiling Surfaces

For effective acoustic treatment of walls and ceiling, sheetrock is used and they are clamped to the stud with the help of clips. The purpose of the clip is to isolate the sheetrock away from the stud or joist. There is a black rubber “puck” in the clip which helps in absorbing shock between the furring channel and the stud. It facilitates the sheetrock to be flexible enough to absorb the energy and prevent it from travelling effectively between two sides of the wall.

Door

As per the budget for your project, one of the Studio 3D door assemblies is recommended. These doors are customized and have quite a few variables and options. The price of the doors start at around $2,300.00 each without including the installation kit ($30) and shipping which is dependant on your location. If that does not fit into your budget you may desire to acquire a good, heavy, solid core door sealed with a door seal kit.

Floor

You may want to consider treating the floor of your room but this decision is usually dependent on the budget for the room and also the amount of soundproofing you need. If it is a concrete floor, many home audio installers will use a rubber based underlayment before beginning to build the walls. For this the reason is because energy that enters the concrete travels below the walls not only to the other basement rooms, but travels up the concrete walls and possibly into the rooms above since it is on the concrete that the structure for those rooms rests. This applies to particularly the lower frequencies.

Home Theater Essentials soundproofing products in interior designing

Home Theater Essentials
If you have the thought of installing a home theater in Dubai or elsewhere, you will need a lot of time for researching and planning available options for selecting home theater essentials. Whether you have a small or large budget, time and money can be saved by doing your homework before and plan about home theater essentials of how your home theater Dubai, can be put together. Mostly home theater rooms can be supreme viewing spaces made on a simple budget where family and friends can watch great films without needing to go far. Given below are some of the home theater essentials for considering when you want to transform an empty room into a useful space.
Comfortable Seats
Whether it’s a recliner, couch, or bean bag, the first thing needed in every home theater room is places to sit relaxingly. After all, you will probably not be on your feet for the show mostly. Even if your decision is to imitate a commercial theater by room setup with aisles and chairs, you have to ensure that enough room is there to slouch down and stretch if needed.
Wide Screen
This discussion is about home theater, so 20 inch screen installation will not do. The length of the screen should be minimum 100 inches, and without hindrances its position should be at the front of the room.
Good Speakers
Presently technology has made such astonishing advancements; the acoustics of your home theater can provide amazing audio. You can research about subwoofers and speakers for attaining ideal sound quality and understand speaker placement better.
Soundproofing
When you want to relax by watching a movie, you don’t want the fun to be ruined by outside disturbances. You also don’t want to cause disturbance to others in the house who may want it be less noisy. Due to this the theater room needs to be soundproofed or at least something has to be setup to lessen potential noise so that everyone will be benefited.
Internal HVAC
When soundproofing is done for a room such as a home theater having no open windows, there is less natural circulation. For this reason an air-conditioning system (HVAC) and internal heating with temperature control adds additional comfort. This distributes an even flow of air when a movie is in progress.
Anti-Reflection Methods
You must have noticed in many commercial movie theaters that walls are painted dark colors or have curtains. Screen light is prevented from reflecting from the surrounding due to this. Similar methods can be used to prevent light reflection in your home theater. You must keep in mind that similar distractions can be caused by things like picture frames.
Carpeting
When there is a presence of a large group it is handy to carpet a home theater room, since a carpeted floor can make provision for extra seating. Importantly, unlike other materials it is also helpful in absorbing sound and light instead of reflecting it.
The above mentioned home theater essentials when put together will make your home theater in Dubai experience really enjoyable.

Home Theater Acoustical Television and Speakers

Home Theater Acoustical
Television and Speakers
The television set and the speakers are the key items in home theater acoustical set up. The size of the TV is decided by the size of the room. For a 1080p display (50 inches screen) the recommended viewing distance is between 8 feet and 12 feet. The center speaker reproduces the speech of the actors on TV and hence its positon should be closest to the TV, directly above or below. The right and left speakers are positioned at 35 degrees to the center line on either side of the TV in line with screen with respect to the listener. The center right and left speakers should face the central listening position at equal distance from the listener and at the height of the center of TV display. Surround speakers will be at 120 degrees to either side and at equal distance to listener, heights a little above behind the back of the listener. The surround speakers should face a little off center to the listening point. The sub hoofer which is for lower frequencies is placed half way near the side wall facing up front.
Locating Acoustic Treatment Points
Once the position of the speakers and listeners are decided the next step is to locate the points where the acoustic treatment is to be given that is, where the sound absorbing materials will be fixed. It is assumed that sound from speakers will travel and reflect like light rays. Using some techniques involving reflecting mirrors and with the help of a colleague this can be done following instruction given in the guide books or internet. You may have to remove all the furniture and other decorations from the room because you have to have bare walls for this work. From the assumed position of the listener, the points of reflection of sounds from different speakers are found with the help of the mirror and the position for fixing the home theater acoustical materials can be found.
Selection of Sound Absorbing Material
One of the home theater acoustical materials is the sound absorption panel. It absorbs the sound energy so that it cannot reflect back from the surface. The panels neutralize echo and also minimize reverberation levels are used to eliminate echoes and reflections that muddle or color amplified music and speech. These wall panels will also reduce reverberation levels in a room. Fiberglass wrapped with decorative fabric, and melamine foam which is in molded form are the absorption panels available. As a guideline, prefer 1 inch thick panels for human voice. For loud music, surround, drums etc., use +thicker 2 inch panels.
The steps explained above for positioning the speakers and listener seating are important to follow in sequence because with the suggested placement of home theater acoustical material you can enjoy really good music.

Home Gym Acoustical Treatment

Home Gym Acoustical Treatment

The nature of a gym with its drywall or concrete walls, hard floors, and (usually) metal ceilings are the typical example of an echo chamber. They are always very large or fairly large rooms and people doing loud things use it. So, it is usually needed to do acoustical treatment for the gym and the room is always made more comfortable. When there is an inquiry about treating a gym three questions are usually asked by people. What product is suggested, how much is needed and where to put this treatment?

What product is suggested?

Many different answers can be provided for this question. Most of them pertain to the room itself. Varied panels are obtainable that can be glued easily to the ceiling or on the walls high up. There are impact or abuse resistant panels, cost effective panels, and custom panels which are obtainable typically in a wide variety of colors and sizes.

If you do not worry about how the appearance of the room will be affected by the panels, then you can consider going for cost effective panels. If for your needs they perform well enough and you do not worry about their appearance, they can save a lot of cost.

If you really don’t care about their appearance, but your worry is regarding them getting hit, then you would want to consider panels going to be impact or abuse resistant. A lot of damage can be taken by these without displaying wear or tear.

If you are trying to maintain the look of the gym and acoustical panels are not suitable for the design, you may want to consider customized panels. These will be found to cost the most, but your acoustical and design needs will be met by them.

How much is needed?

Unfortunately no “easy” answer is there for this question since the right answer is dependent on your comfort level just as much and the use (s) of the room as anything else. Experts have suggested a thumb rule. That is 3% of the total volume of the room (height x width x depth) will give you the area to be covered by panels.

Where to put this treatment?

Wherever you would like place the treatment and basically have the same result. The end user is left with a lot of freedom for installing the panels in locations that flying objects will not hit, be distant from damage or impact, blend into the room, act as a decorative element in the room, or be installed in areas having the available surface area. This means that the panels can be put on the ceiling or the walls and sound the same.

Hanging Acoustical Baffles are sound baffles that are fitted to the ceiling

Hanging Acoustical Baffles
Hanging Acoustical Baffles are sound baffles that are fitted to the ceiling and can be considered as a very effective method for acoustical control which reduces noise and reverberation. Hanging baffles have the advantage that both sides are open to space and hence has double the area for the same baffle. Baffles are used for both indoor and outdoor applications and are available in different types. Acoustical baffles laminated by fabrics are available in many colors. For industrial applications, baffles have aluminum perforated outer cover in a different color. Sound baffles have hanging systems for vertical or horizontal suspension from the ceiling or wall. Being of light weight, baffles do not overload the roof truss or the ceiling. Hanging screens are actually large baffles that are used for visual privacy as well as acoustical control hanging screens and baffles are custom made to suit particular requirements pertaining to profile, finish and size. The baffles come in different shapes e.g., circular, square, oval, or rectangular.
Types
Decorative Fabric Wrapped Hanging Acoustical Baffles are very popular. They are custom made and engineered to match colors of the ambience. They are built as two pieces glass fiber having radius or square edges with fabric or perforated vinyl. They have thicknesses ranging from 1” to 2”. They can be mounted with D rings. It has glass fiber as core, 2″ thick, and fabric finish.
Melamine Foam Acoustical Baffles are made from melamine acoustical foam and have a twisted or coil shape. They are porous and used for overhead applications of noise control. Applications include gymnasiums, swimming pools, schools, production workshops, churches, auditoriums, and offices and are available in colors black, white, light grey, almond, ivory, and light blue. They are suspended on grommets. Melamine is fire-proof and light weighted. Melamine baffles control reverberation and reflected noise.
The Sound Silencer Hanging Acoustical Baffles are lightweight; there is no fiberglass, resist moisture, multi-purpose, washable, and impact resistant. They are made from porous polypropylene (P.E.P.P) material and have a very wide range of applications.
Hanging Acoustical Baffle Accessories
Baffles are used for wall and ceiling applications. Mostly ceilings. The accessories needed vary. The general tools required are as follows:
Crimping tools, wire rope cables and crimps, crimping tools, mounting plates, eye bolts, toggle bolts for wall, cable ratchet stretchers, turnbuckles, tool for tee-bar mounting clips, and tee-bar mounting clips
Applications
Hanging Acoustical Baffles are generally used for ceiling applications for absorbing for echo, air-borne sound and noise reduction in factories and other industrial establishments, ware houses, gymnasiums, auditoriums, offices, call centers, entertainment facilities, computer rooms, gun ranges, band rooms and studios.
Baffles are very economical for situations where you have to control sound pressure and reverberation time in large spaces such as theaters and restaurants. Hanging Acoustical Baffles are also appropriate for busy spaces where lights from overhead fittings and heaters shouldn’t be blocked.

Hanging Acoustical Baffles which are fitted to the ceilings or walls

Hanging Acoustical Baffles
Hanging Acoustical Baffles which are fitted to the ceilings or walls are meant to reduce the level of sound which is airborne. Sound Baffles serve as an essential tool for noise reduction, noise pollution, and also for noise reverberation. This is due to the reason that both the sides of the baffle are open to the space. Therefore they can absorb sound from all sides. The baffles are mounted with hanging system and can be suspended either horizontally or vertically from the ceiling. Acoustic Baffles are suited for ceilings where heating systems and light fittings should not get blocked.
Types of Hanging Acoustical Baffles
Echo Eliminators are Hanging Acoustical Baffles for eliminating echo and are made from Bonded Acoustical Cotton (B.A.C.). It can be recycled and does not contain fiberglass. They are durable, cost effective, lightweight, efficient and multi-purpose. There are about ten colors to choose from.
Fabric Wrapped Acoustical Baffles are wrapped with fabrics. Hardside baffles are made from two panels of fiberglass board having edges and faces covered with a fabric or vinyl finish. They are lightweight and have different shapes like round, square, pencil edge, and bevel, available in dimensions up to 4 ft. x 10 ft. They are mounted with D-rings and come with a wide range of colors.
Polywrap Baffles are made from Polyethylene which is heat-sealed having Fiberglass fill. They are available in standard black and white colors.
Sanitary Acoustic Baffles have the core encapsulated in reinforced mylar film. The white face helps to improve illumination by reflecting light. It is temperature and weather resistant. Sanitary Acoustic Baffles are ideal for industries where weather resistant and cleanable surfaces are required, places needing high sound reduction, and other environments requiring really clean surroundings. They are generally white in color.
Sailcloth and Vinyl Encapsulated Acoustical Baffles have fiberglass core with Sailcloth or Polyvinyl Chloride Film outside. They are available in PVC film of 9 colors.
Whisperwave Melamine Baffles are made from melamine foam. They can be installed with corkscrew hangers if it is in the field or with ceiling mounted cable or on wall to wall cable. It is also possible to align them parallel or every alternate baffle can be rotated to 90 degrees. Whisperwave Baffles are available as natural white and grey but also can be got as painted or coated.
Hanging Acoustic Baffle Accessories
Wall and ceiling construction assemblies vary significantly. The following are the general tools needed. Crimping Tools, Wire Rope Cables and Crimps, Eye Bolts and Mounting Plates, Hollow Wall Toggle Bolts, Cable Ratchet Stretchers, Tool for Tee-Bar Mounting Clips, Turnbuckles and Tee-Bar Mounting Clips
Applications of Hanging Acoustic Baffles
Hanging Acoustic Baffles are recommended for Ceiling Baffles for absorbing echo, sound and noise reduction in manufacturing and industrial facilities, warehouses, gymnasiums, auditoriums, offices, call centers, entertainment facilities, computer rooms, gun ranges, band rooms and studios.