Noise Pollution - Saraniecki

Question 1

What are regulations as detailed by the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979?

Answer 1

requires FAA to develop noise maps and a method of measuring airplane noise pollution

Question 2

What are the Federal Highway limits?

Answer 2

67 dBA near sensitive areas
72 dBA for commercial land use

Question 3

What are the EPA and DOT noise regs?

Answer 3

90 dBA for interstate trucks and buse at 35mph
86 dBA under 35mph
New truck max is 83 dBA

Question 4

What are the three terms to describe and measure sound?

Answer 4

amplitude - loudness
frequency - pitch
time pattern

Question 5

Define noise pollution

Answer 5

noise that has characteristics and duration injurious to public health and welfare or unreasonably interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property

Question 6

Define decibel

Answer 6

a dimensionless unit used to express intensity of sound

Question 7

What is a dBA scale?

Answer 7

an attempt to measure the way the human ear hears loudness (amplitude) in normal situations
emphasizes high frequencies

Question 8

What is the dBC scale?

Answer 8

an attempt to measure the way the human ear hears loudness (amplitude) in noisy situations

Question 9

What is the dBD scale?

Answer 9

an attempt to measure and compare the effect of airplane noise on the human ear

Question 10

What is the graph regarding difference between two sounds and how much to add in dB to the higher sound?

Answer 10

0 - 3.0
1 - 2.6
2 - 2.1
3 - 1.8
4 - 1.5
5 - 1.2
6 - 1.0
7 - 0.8
8 - 0.6
10 - 0.4
12 - 0.3
14 - 0.2
16 - 0.1

Question 11

What should you do for two sounds of the same dB? Three?

Answer 11

two - add 3.0 dB
three - add 4.8 dB

Question 12

Define sone

Answer 12

measure perceived loudness by an observer

Question 13

Define phon

Answer 13

loudness level of 1 kHz tone at 40 dB
40 phons = 1 sone

Question 14

Define sabin

Answer 14

a measure of the sound absorption ability of a surface

Question 15

Define sound-level meter

Answer 15

measures environmental sound in dBA and should include time

Question 16

What is a noise dosimeter?

Answer 16

measures amount of potentially injurious noise exposure over time

Question 17

What is the OSHA 2-3 foot rule?

Answer 17

When a sound level meter is not available
stand an arm’s length from your coworker
if you have to raise your voice to be heard 2-3 ft away, assume sound level is at or above 85 dB and should be investigated

Question 18

Where can noise be controlled at?

Answer 18

source
transmission path
where received
2 or 3 controls typically used simultaneously

Question 19

How are noise levels affected by distance from source?

Answer 19

drops 6 dB each time the distance from source to received is doubled

Question 20

What is the noise threshold of pain?

Answer 20

120 dBA

Question 21

Give examples of source control

Answer 21

aka Engineering controls
proper planning and design
isolate the noisy industrial process
substitute less noisy processes
replace noisy equipment with modern quiet equipment
vibration isolators
proper maintenance - mufflers, worn parts

Question 22

Describe transmission path control

Answer 22

Hard, smooth, impervious materials reflect sound - rubber
absorptive materials - rugs, carpets, drapes, acoustical walls and ceiling tiles, more effective for high frequency sounds

Question 23

What is sound transmission loss? Some example requirements?

Answer 23

the ratio of the energy passing through a wall, floor, or ceiling to the energy striking it
walls between apartments should have sound reduction wall of at least 50 dBA
expressway noise barrier walls

Question 24

What happens to transmission loss when frequency increases?

Answer 24

Transmission loss increases

Question 25

How can you control noise where it is received?

Answer 25

limit worker exposure time
PPE
this is the last choice for noise control

Question 26

What are some examples of administrative control in regards to noise?

Answer 26

worker rotation
increase worker distance to noise source

Question 27

What is the noise limit for mass gathering?

Answer 27

70 dBA

Question 28

What are OSHA noise limits?

Answer 28

action level - 8 hr avg of 85 dBA - monitoring and worker notification
8 hr TWA PEL - 90 dBA
allowable exposure time is halved when the noise level increases by 5 dB
PPE
EPA - 24 hr exposure of 70 dBA is safe

Question 29

How is noise hazardous?

Answer 29

Loud sounds affect the circulatory and nervous systems
continuous exposure to high level noise is more harmful than intermittent or occasional exposure
for workers, 85 dBA levels should be investigated
90 dBA are unsafe

Question 30

What are regulations for garbage compactor trucks?

Answer 30

may not exceed 76 dBA within 23 ft of any side of the truck

Question 31

What is the maximum sensitivity to sounds for humans?

Answer 31

1000-5000 cps
cps = cycles per second = Hz

Question 32

What is temporary threshold shift?

Answer 32

hearing loss that lasts a few hours after excessive noise exposure

Question 33

What is sensorineural loss?

Answer 33

loss of hearing to the extent that low frequency sounds are distorted or can’t be heard

Question 34

What is conductive loss?

Answer 34

hearing loss that results from infections or trauma

Question 35

What is presbycusis?

Answer 35

age-related hearing loss

Question 36

When does a fetus develop hearing ability?

Answer 36

28th week of gestation

Question 37

Which act authorized the EPA to work with state and local govt for anti noise programs?

Answer 37

Quiet Communities Act

Question 38

The unit of measurement most commonly used to measure loudness

Answer 38

phon

Question 39

What is the most common type of noise measurement device used for initial surveys to provide rapid evaluation and identification of potential problem areas?

Answer 39

sound level meter