Noise is an environmental pollution factor that affects people's perception and hearing health negatively, disrupts psychological and physical balances, decreases working performance, destroys the calmness and satisfaction of the environment and changes its quality. Noise is a sound that does not make sense to the hearing and unwanted to be heard. In short, it is called noise, which does not like and has negative effects on people. The noise, which is described as disturbing to people in any way, is much more effective, especially in working environments.
The unit of measurement used to measure the volume of sound is decibels, expressed in dB. The human ear is predominantly sensitive to medium and high frequency sounds, and the decibel measurement unit is a sound evaluation unit based on these frequencies. Sounds are grouped in decibels as follows:
- 0-30 decibel very quiet environment
- 30-50 decibel silent environment
- 50-60 decibel moderately noisy environment
- 60-70 decibel noisy environment
- 70-80 decibel very noisy environment
Accordingly, sounds higher than 80 decibels disturb the ear. The noise of a jet plane flying five hundred meters low is 120 decibels.
Moreover, the noise problem is not only today's problem. Even in Roman times, it was seen as an important environmental problem and it was forbidden to carry out stone crushing and lifting works for example after dark. Even at that time, measures were taken to prevent noise.
Today, as the possibilities of technology increase and the capacities and power of machinery, tools and equipment increases, noise in many sectors has started to exceed the dangerous limits. Noise is increasingly a factor that directly affects human health and safety. Therefore, noise is now considered as a health and environmental problem. Since noise is an undesirable condition and people are adversely affected, it is generally regarded as an element of pollution and noise pollution is mentioned.
What is the scope of noise measurement in the work environment?
The Regulation on Health and Safety in the Use of Work Equipment was issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in 2013. The main purpose of this regulation is to make it compulsory that the environments and equipment used by the employees in the workplaces be tested and examined by the enterprises in certain intervals and in accordance with certain methods. Numerous measurement and analysis studies include noise measurements in the working environment.
There are many national and international standards to be taken as basis for these measurements. A few standards to consider are:
• TS 2607 ISO 1999 Acoustics - Determination of exposure to workplace noise and estimation of hearing loss caused by this noise
• TS EN ISO 9612 Acoustics - Determination of exposure to noise in the working environment - Engineering method
• ISO EN ISO 9614-1 Acoustics - Determination of sound power levels of noise sources using sound intensity - Part 1: Measurement at different points
• TS EN ISO 3746 Acoustics - Determination of sound power levels and sound energy levels of noise sources using sound pressure - Observation method using a surrounding measuring surface on a reflective plane
our organization TÜRCERT Technical Control and Certification Inc.provides measurement services in accordance with national and international standards and with an impartial approach. In addition, during these activities, TS EN ISO / IEC 17020 General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Inspection Organizations complies with the principles. It is also accredited according to this standard. More detailed information about work environment noise measurement between workplace environment measurements can be requested from our employees.