Comment on "exchange rate" imposed in the local factories and industrial undertakings (noise at work) regulation
Authors
Citation
International journal on architectural science, v.3, no.4, 2002, pp. 163-170
Abstract
An exchange rate of 3 dB is imposed for noise control on safety issues in the local Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Noise at Work) Regulation (2000). Suitability of this value will be reviewed in this paper. The background of the exchange rate is discussed, together with other values of 5 dB and 6 dB used earlier in elsewhere. Attempts are made to study the scientific basis of these values by understanding the principles behind. The health effects of noise exposure corresponding to the requirements are pointed out. It is proposed that setting too tight a regulation might not be good. Changing the exchange rate of 3 dB to 5 dB, or even 6 dB, would imply significant different exposure time of labours to different aural environment. Field measurement for safety aspects of exposing local workers to noise should be carried out.
(1) Introduction
(2) Potential health effects of exposure to noise
(a) Temporary threshold shift (TTS2)
(b) Noise-induced permanent threshold shift (NIPTS)
(c) Acoustic trauma
(3) Daily personal noise exposure LEp,d
(4) Action levels in the FIU code
(5) The equal energy rule
(6) Other exchange rate values
(7) Safe exposure level
(a) OSHA's standards [4,5,15]
(b) ACGIH standards [15,16]
(8) Recommendation on taking the exchange rate of 3 dB, 5 dB or 6 dB?
(9) Conclusion
(10) References
(11) Appendix A: exchange rate of 3 dB
(12) Appendix B: exchange rate of 6 dB
Description
Subject
Type
Article
Format
Date
2002
Language
en