Environmental Noise Monitoring
Noise
Noise is detailed by the United Kingdom Government Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as ‘unwanted sound’, as such one person’s noise is another person’s sound”. For this reason noise is subjective and what may appear harmless low level noise to an operative on a construction site or in a factory, may be extremely aggravating to a local resident or adjacent offices, further, that low level noise may possibly be causing the operatives long term damage to their own hearing without them realising.
Noise can be annoying and aggravating, interrupt sleep, stop conversation and, in extreme conditions, cause physical damage to those affected. Different times of the day will impact on both how the noise is measured and what constitutes a “ nuisance”, it would be unreasonable to expect industrial areas and construction sites to be as quiet as a library for twenty four hours a day, however, it would also be equally unreasonable for residents to be subjected to “unwanted sound” all through the night.
For this reason both the European Union and the UK Government has implemented a host of regulations and directives aimed at quantifying, mapping and legislating for noise:-
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2002:189:0012:0025:EN:PDF
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1993/40/contents
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/2238/contents/made
Types of noise roughly fall into three catagorories – for example, occupational noise which is experienced at work, neighbour or neighbourhood noise caused by people in or around their homes,environmental noise (sometimes called ambient noise) which is generated by transport, industry and other external sources.
Dependant upon what reason noise is being measured depends very much on which government or local authority body is responsible. In general and as you would expect the Health and Safety Executive looks after occupational noise and has a number of helpful publications to assist in employers determining safe noise levels in the workplace:- http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg362.pdf
Local Authorities will tend to look after nuisance noise from neighbours and from industry including construction projects, local authorities will also frequently intervene on behalf of residents if they believe the noise is a statutory nuisance.
Noise Monitoring
Almost all industrial processes cause noise, some of it may be contained or dissapated by the buildings in which the process is located in, alternatively the works may be lucky enough to be far from any neighbours. It could be that the proprieter may have implemented a noise reduction plan to ensure a good relationship with residentential neighbours. However, It is important to remember that it may not be just residential dwellings that find industrial noise to be distracting and a nuisance, office workers whom need to concentrate and are communicating on the telephone are likely to become disturbed by consistant noise problems.
Environmental Noise Monitoring
Remote environmental noise monitoring equipment has now become portable and easily obtainable. However, to monitor environmental noise correctly you require the right equipment for the right application.
Remote Datum frequently install noise monitoring equipment in association with multiple point vibration equipment, especially when piling or similar works are being undertaken near residential or sensitive locations.
Planning Policy Guidance
PPG 24 (Planning Policy Guidance 24) is a guide for local authorities in England that aims to minimse the adverse impact of noise by providing information on use of planning powers. It outlines considerations that should be taken into account during planning applications for noise-sensitive developments, as well as any activities that would potentially generate noise.
Planning Policy Guidance 24 aims to provide advice to local councils on how the planning system can be used to reduce the detrimental impact of environmental noise. It aims to do so without placing unreasonable restrictions on development or adding unnecessary costs and administrative burdens.
These guidelines introduce and explain the idea of noise exposure categories for residential development and recommends appropriate levels for exposure to different sources of noise.
It also advises on the use of conditions to minimise the impact of noise.
Planning Policy Guidelines 24 (PPG24)
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/ppg24
Road Traffic Noise
The level of noise created by traffic is measured and predicted using the Calculation of Road Traffic Noise (CRTN) document.
The Calculation of Road Traffic Noise (CRTN) is a reference document published by the Department of Transport in 1988. It's aim is to provide a central reference document and a standardised approach to noise level assessement. The CRTN provides information on monitoring road traffic noise, as well as the prediction of road traffic noise based on flow counts. Prediction of noise levels includes factors such as:
- percentage of heavy vehicles
- vehicle speed
- road surface type
- gradient.
In addition to this it includes a complete series of noise prediction techniques.
It is important that the correct instrument is used for Road Traffic Noise monitoring and calculations, Remote Datum Ltd can supply equipment for long term measurement of Environmental Noise such as:-
- Road Traffic
- Airports
- Rail Noise
- Transport Hubs
- Wind Farms
- Industrial Installations
Construction Noise
Most large construction companies spend a great deal of time, money and effort ensuring their operations do not impact on their neighbours and surroundings, however, refurbishment operations and smaller companies can, in their eagerness to finish, occasionally be unaware that their works are impacting on residential and other neighbours.
Larger companies are frequently judged by Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) and it is important that they can show and verify that they undertook all the survey, monitoring and reduction methods available to them to reduce the impact of their presence on their neighbours.
The Control of Pollution Act 1974 (COPA) s60 empowers local
authorities to serve a notice imposing requirements as to how
construction work is to be carried out (e.g. in terms of days and
hours of work). COPA s61 provides for a local authority to give
prior consent to specified construction activities:
• Erection, construction, alteration repair or maintenance of
buildings, structures or roads;
• Breaking up, opening or boring under any road or adjacent
land;
• Demolition or dredging;
• Any work of engineering construction.
Noise emitted from construction sites or from vehicles, equipment
or machinery in the street can be deemed a statutory nuisance
under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990
(EPA) Part III. Whereas compliance with a consent under s.61
COPA will be a defence to statutory nuisance proceedings
brought by a local authority, magistrates may still issue an
abatement notice on a complaint brought by a private individual
under s.82 EPA. It nevertheless remains a defence to show that
the 'best practicable means' were used to prevent or to
counteract the effects of the nuisance. Construction noise is a
relevant consideration within Environmental Impact Assessment.
The Control of Pollution Act 1974 allows local authorities to impose requirements as to how construction work is to be carried out (e.g. in terms of days andhours of work, noise thresholds).
Local authority are normally required to give prior consent to specified construction activities:
• Erection, construction, alteration repair or maintenance ofbuildings, structures or roads
• Breaking up, opening or boring under any road or adjacentland;
• Demolition or dredging;
• Any work of engineering construction.
Noise emitted from construction sites or from vehicles, equipmentor machinery in the street can be deemed a statutory nuisance under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990(EPA) Part III.
Whereas compliance with a consent under Control of Pollution Act will be a defence to statutory nuisance proceedings brought by a local authority, an abatement notice on a complaint brought by a private individual may still be issued. It nevertheless remains a defence to show that the 'best practicable means' were used to prevent or to counteract the effects of the nuisance. Construction noise is a relevant consideration within Environmental Impact Assessment.
Vibration is is included in Environmental Protection Act, Statutory Nuisance and will be treated in a similar manner as noise by local authorities and magistrates..
Nuisance Noise
Noisy neighbours, dogs incessantly barking, loud venues are but a few of the areas that can cause tempers to fray, excessive noise from neighbours can be frustrating and can cause a lot of unnecessary stress and worry. Frequently the person(s) making the noise are unaware that they are causing a problem and therefore the problem can be ironed out and sorted in an amicable manner.
Unfortunatly where this is not the case a statutory notice may have to be served on theoffending party, requiring them to abate the nuisance. If such the notice is not complied with then legal action can follow, it is important in these circumstances that the nuisance noise levels have been correctly monitored and the data recorded for use as proof.
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