6: Hide behind lax regulations
The school zone speed limit sign says 60. Maybe it’s a typo, maybe it’s a mistake. Maybe they mean kilometers/hr? Hard to believe anyone would drive 60 mph then claim to be driving safely because no laws were broken. Outrageous as it may sound, that logic is not infrequently mis-applied in the world of acoustics.
Lax noise regulations happen. A successful criterion borrowed from one community doesn’t really fit the circumstances in another. A simple A-weighted traffic noise criterion doesn’t register the unique annoyance caused by low-frequency industrial noise or outdoor music. A County misreads a chart and accidentally authorizes industrial noise levels at residential properties surrounding a Plant.
Complying with the lax regulation might keep you out of hot water with the police, but not necessarily with the neighbors. Far better to consult real noise criteria provided in engineering standards (see #5) and design accordingly. There may be a cost for additional noise control, but doing it right the first time will be the least expensive and most predictable approach.
Summary
Fortunately both the Plant’s noise output and its impact on the Community can be estimated as soon as equipment is selected. That approach works best when proper noise criteria are used. In plenty of time to head off a public relations tragedy.
The necessary skills can however be learned by mere mortals. Nelson Acoustics provide practical training in noise control.
Nelson Acoustics can help you anticipate and manage the quantity and characteristics of emitted sound to minimize annoyance. Before it makes the news.
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