Subject: Re: Noise in the workplace From: Jont Allen <jba(at)RESEARCH.ATT.COM> Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 14:17:39 -0400There is a discussion on this topic on pages 103-105, with measurements summarized as plots and tables, In Speech and Hearing in Communication, by, ..., H Fletcher. Jont "Robert E. Remez" wrote: > > Dear Dan and Al: > > The WHO report, Guidelines for Community Noise, can be found at: > > http://www.who.int/peh/noise/noiseindex.html > > The report is more appropriate for your purpose (protecting the > tranquility of the workplace) than the OSHA Program for Hearing > Conservation, for instance, or other standards that stem solely from > health considerations. Basically, the levels of exposure that impair > the auditory system are far higher than the levels that simply impair > > performance in the workplace, and you will want to impose the latter > standard rather than the former. The WHO standard for an office, > which derives from measures of the intelligibility of speech in > noise, places the tolerable noise in the range of 35-45 dB. > > By the way, I also measured the background level in the main control > room of the lab (42 dB, A scale) and in my office (two windows, on a > busy corner of Broadway = 42 dB, A scale). > > I would be eager to know the norms if there is research on this topic. > > Good luck, > > Robert Remez > > ============================================================= > Robert E. Remez, Chair 212.854.4247 office > Department of Psychology 212.854.3601 fax > Barnard College 212.854-2069 Department > 3009 Broadway > New York, New York 10027 > Email: remez(at)columbia.edu > Home Page: www.columbia.edu/~remez -- Jont B. Allen AT&T Labs-Research, Shannon Laboratory, E161 180 Park Ave., Florham Park NJ, 07932-0971 973/360-8545voice, x7111fax, http://www.research.att.com/~jba "A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it." -Max Planck