Noise and Vibration

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 Noise - History

• 100 Years – Noise Exposure results in

permanent hearing Loss!
• 1918 – Vibration causes permanent
damage to hands and fingers.

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 Sound Wave

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 Physics of Sound

• C = Speed of propagation

• λ = c/f
• C = speed
• f = frequency
• λ = wavelength

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 Physics
• Frequency = 1000 cycles per second

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

• Λ = 1128.6/125 hz
• =9.02 feet

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 Physics

• Sound is pressure
• 1 P = 1 Newton/m2
• P = Pascal
• L = 10Log(P/Pref)2
• Pref = 20 µPa

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 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)

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 Directional
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 Sound
• dBA vrs dBC weighting

• A = close to human hearing

• C = Flat

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Noise Control
• Barriers
• Distance
• Isolation

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 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.

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 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?

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 Distance

• If a noise source is 96 dBA at 10 feet

• What is the intensity at 20 feet?

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 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

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 Noise Calc - Activity
• A noise source is 102 dBA (Measured) at
• 25 feet. What will the noise level be at 60
feet?

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 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

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 Controls
• Turn the Noise Source
• Place Barriers (Frequency dependant)
• Isolation/Absorption materials

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 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

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 General Notes
• Lower Frequencies more difficult
• Specialized materials

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 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

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 Noise Induced Hearing Loss

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 Hearing Loss,
Sources

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 Hearing Loss – Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL

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 Rules of Thumb

• Shout at 3 Feet
• Loud Voice at 1 foot

• It’s Hazardous Noise!

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

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 Noise Measurement

•Hand-held
•Octave Band Analysis
•Graphic Level Instruments

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 Moving the Source

• rotation

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 Medical Examinations

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

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 Medical Examinations

• Threshold shift determination is

– Frequency Dependant
– Age factors
– smoking

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 Noise Control

• Hearing Protection

27 dBA
19-23 dbA

18-23 dBA

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 Noise Control

27 –33 dBA reduction

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 Noise Control

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 Noise Control

• Noise Source: 117 dBA, 2 hours

• V51Rs

• Noise Exposure:?

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 Noise Exposure

• 117-27 dbA = 90 dBA

• Adequate?

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

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 Vibration

• Human exposure divided into:

• Whole Body
• Hand-arm vibration

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 Vibration

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

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 Vibration

• Exposure: (Book)
– 8 Million workers

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 Vibration

- Charts

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 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!

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 Variations:

• UK 2.8 m/sec 8 hours

• Canada Same.

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 Average Vibration

• Average Vibration: 9.0 m/sec2 -

Jackhammer (Time Limit?)

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 Average Vibration

• After Training/Techniques:

• 5.5 m/sec2

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 ELV = Exposure Limit Value EAV = Exposure Action Value

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 Hand Direction

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 Stage Assessment Table

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 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

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 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

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 Controls
• Anti-vibration tools
• anti-vibration gloves
• Proper work practices
– Keep hands warm
• Medical Surveillance

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