Sounds like the future - how new technology is helping employers monitor noise

Over 170,000 people in the UK suffer from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), tinnitus or other acoustic trauma conditions as a direct result of excessive exposure at work. Eliminating noise at the source is always the first step to reduce the risk of NIHL, and this can be achieved by monitoring to measure noise, obtain concrete data and highlight key areas for change.

Statistics showing workers suffering noise induced hearing loss could significantly improve if people within organisations had the knowledge and understanding of noise measurements and terminology. Upskilling the workforce could lead to clear improvements in workplace noise levels and most importantly, employee exposure.

Although sound level meters have been used in the workplace since the 1970s, it was not until 1989 that managing noise exposure in the workplace evolved from guidance to law in the UK. This regulatory change meant that the development of noise monitoring instrumentation was essential to protect worker health and ensure business compliance.

A sound level meter enables measurements to be taken at the ear with the instrument pointing at the noise source and is an ideal solution if you need to know the overall noise level of a task, piece of machinery or area. Developments in tech mean that Sound Level Meters have become more accurate and compact over time, however as technology continues to progress and new software and hardware becomes available, the next generation of sound level meters contain some exciting advancements. 

New sensor technology such as Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is allowing for lower-cost and smaller products to be developed. User expectations are also continuing to shift as mobile, cloud and data-driven technologies develop and become an integral part of modern-day monitoring processes.

The next generation of Sound Level Meters from Casella feature time history profiling – the Enhanced 620 now stores the time history of how noise levels have varied over a set period. It is beneficial in a noise survey to understand more about the noise climate in areas of a workplace. This can especially be the case if the Meter is left in an area for extended periods of time to understand the variability of the noise, and therefore the tasks that need action when it comes to controlling noise. Time history data can also be of benefit when it is further analysed when downloaded, to perform ‘what if’ calculations on the effect of noise exposure of removing certain activities or noisy events.

Voice notes are also an innovative addition to Sound Level Meters. Technology can enable voice notes to be added at the start of a noise monitoring run, meaning that notes can be taken to accompany the individual measurement. This easily saves time and effort when performing noise surveys. Voice notes can be played back once the data has been downloaded to a PC so the information can be easily referenced when evaluating noise exposure going forward.

Looking even further into the future, innovative nanotechnology and nanoparticles may result in the need for new measurement technologies and methodologies that once again transform the instrumentation landscape. Remaining at the core of this development is the ultimate priority for noise monitoring, which is protecting the health and well-being of workers in noise-intense industries. 

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