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ENVIRONMENTAL
SOUND
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| Testing Times | Auto cut-off controllers | Sound Level Governors | Noise at Work Regs | Induction Loops | Home |
Testing times
As licensing bodies tighten up on environmental noise pollution from venues and clubs, it is becoming increasingly important to keep control over sound levels inside and outside your venue. Apart from the primary consideration of acoustic treatment to walls, windows, doors and roofs, there are also methods of controlling the level of sound being created. There are two main ways of doing this which satisfy the requirements of the Environmental Health Department.
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SL 2000 Sound Level Controller / Sanction Limiter
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| The Sentry Mk2 does a similar job, with the warning lights and microphone all in the one box. This makes it quicker to install but must be positioned carefully so the indicators can be clearly seen by the performer(s). The Sentry 2 has connectors provided to interface with a range of equipment, plus internally selectable options to make the system as versatile as possible. Sentry can control external relays for disconnecting loudspeakers, switching passive attenuators to reduce system volume or acting as the trigger into an active attenuator system. It is microphone driven and has its own microphone built in to minimise tampering. The Sentry also incorporates the facility to operate at two different sound level thresholds which may be selected manually, by a remote key switch or similar, or automatically by a time switch (switches not supplied). This allows a venue to operate at different levels at different periods of the day. e.g. when near offices or shops. Sentry is supplied as a system ready for installation by a qualified electrical contractor. | |
Archive Products:
Audioblock Sanction Limiter (discontinued Oct 2005)
full data sheet |
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Sound Level
Governors We particularly recommend the Drawmer MX30 and DL241 models, which have brick wall peak limiters and clear status indicators. |
| Any fast acting stereo compressor limiter with an infinity ratio and preferably with a peak stop will do this job. If your venue has several different zones, a four channel version (or multiples) may be needed. DL241 full data sheet | |
For large club systems it may be desirable to limit different audio ranges (eg bass, mid, HF) separately. Many professional active crossovers or system controllers have this feature built in, so it's a good idea to check that these are correctly adjusted first. Limiters can be calibrated by trial and error or more accurately with specialist measuring equipment.
GB Audio supply both of these types of devices, wiring and tamperproof security covers. We also offer installation, calibration, measurement and analysis services to help you satisfy limits prescribed by Inspectors from the Environmental Health or Health & Safety at Work Departments. top
Drawmer have also just developed the SP2120 system controller for sound level limiting and loudspeaker protection using Drawmer's proven multi-band compression technology.
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Full SP2120 data sheet
In stock now Call us to discuss how Sentry or Drawmer products could help you. |
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Noise at Work (article courtesy of Don't Lose The Music - RNID - Sept. 2008) Since 6 April 2008, the Control of
Noise at Work Regulations 2005 have applied to the music and entertainment
industry, as well as every other workplace in the UK. If you work in a pub,
club, or any other part of the industry, your employer has a responsibility to
make sure your hearing is protected. If you believe that this is not being done,
get in touch with your local council's Health and Safety team to talk about your
concerns. So what do the regs say?
If an employee will be exposed to an average of 85dB over eight hours, or a peak of 137dB, the employer should take these steps:
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How do I know if my work place is breaking the law? Now you can check your sound levels without spending a fortune on complicated test equipment or expensive consultants. ST85A mini sound
level meter.
Easy to operate, easy to see what you're dealing with.
ST85A mini sound level meter. £19.95 + VAT |
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It's really important to remember that the regs are not just about volume levels. A club will not have to turn its music down to 85dB (though it would be a really easy way to do it!). Instead, it's about making sure that each individual employee over the course of a day isn't exposed to excessive noise levels that could damage their hearing. What's more, there are some really easy steps you can take to comply.
Am I the last to find out about this?
No. We conducted some research in 2007 to see how many businesses were prepared
for the enforcement of the regs, and the results weren't very good. More than
two thirds of the businesses we surveyed hadn't even heard about the new regs
and almost 75% hadn't received advice from their Local Authority. For more
details about the research, you can view the the
briefing document (PDF 32KB) provided by the Royal National Institute for
the Deaf (RNID).
How do I do a Noise Risk Assessment?
This should be quite a simple process. If you think any of your staff could be
exposed to sound levels above 80dB, you'll have to do an assessment and keep a
record of it. You can buy equipment to measure the sound levels accurately, but
as a rule of thumb if you're having to shout to be heard by someone who's two
metres away, and this is consistent over the course of someone's shift, that's a
sign that the level may well be over 80dB. If shouting is necessary to be heard
from one metre away, then the level will be over the upper action level too.
To do a risk assessment, note down where the risks are coming from – probably in
this case, loud music from speakers. Then list who's at risk, the level of risk,
what you're going to do to reduce the risk and by when. Keep a record of this
and make it happen – it's no good unless you use it. You need to be able to show
that you've looked at the potential risks and acted to reduce them. Your local
authority should be able to help you with this process if you are unsure.
For more details on how to perform a noise risk assessment, take a look at the
HSE website.
Induction loop
GB Audio
hire, design, sell and install
Ampetronic
induction loop and
Sennheiser infra red systems which
benefit the hard-of-hearing. Systems can cover an entire room or can be limited
to a counter or box office. People can listen in by switching their hearing aid
to the "T" position or by using portable beltpacks with miniature
headphones. Sennheiser infra red systems can be used in conjunction with
standard hearing aids when used with the Sennheiser IR adaptor. They also have
the advantage of being able to transmit multi-channel audio, making them
especially suitable for simultaneous translation or audio description services.
From October 2004, all UK public buildings have to be fully accessible, including the provision of systems for the
hard-of-hearing, where appropriate.
Useful links: Environment resources / Disability Discrimination Act
