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Our world surrounds us with sound. While some are pleasing, others are...not so much.

“Environmental noise” is defined as the undesirable sound in our surroundings caused by traffic, industrial, and recreational activities, and it is becoming increasingly prevalent globally.

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Human-generated noise surrounds us, often coming from multiple sources. Here are a few that we frequently encounter.

Occupational Noise

Occupational noise is insidious because we become accustomed to it as part of our work routine and cannot avoid it.

Working in a large room full of clattering keyboards is an example of what might be considered occupational noise, although noise from industrial machinery, airport runways, and construction equipment is more easily identified as such.

Loud levels of occupational noise can have adverse health effects, and employers are usually required to provide hearing protection for workers exposed to 80 decibels (dB) of noise or more as part of their job.

Construction Site Noise

Construction sounds produced by heavy machinery, tools and vehicles create disruptive noise in areas adjacent to the source. Construction noise can be considered occupational noise as well, affecting on-site workers along with nearby populations.

In large cities like New York and Beijing, construction noise is a major source of public complaint.

Equipment such as concrete saws, compressors, generators, and pneumatic tools tend to be particularly culpable on work sites.

Vehicles and Traffic Noise Problems

You don’t have to live beside an airport to experience the noise caused by jets flying overhead. Large trucks and general street traffic also expose most of us to unwanted traffic noise no matter where we are.

People

Crowds of people generate environmental noise but so do individuals. Loud talking, loud music, the person passing by speaking into a cell phone and children playing or arguing can all contribute to the cumulative disruptive noise in our local environment.

Electronic Devices

The proliferation of electronic devices has created a variety of new noises. Chimes, ringtones, alarms, notifications, buzzing printers, surround-sound televisions and playlists all add to the noise in our world.

Environmental Noise Control

Impacts on the environment and health have moved governments and regulatory agencies to develop plans to protect the public from noise pollution.

Ear protection for workers, acoustic barriers around construction sites, and noise abatement flight paths around airports are just a few of the ways society is trying to control and cope with environmental noise.

Portable Noise Control

Echo Barrier was designed to help contractors effortlessly have their noise mitigation measures taken care of, so that they can get on with their job and the surrounding inhabitants can go about in peace.

Get in touch to learn about how Echo Barrier can improve your project's efficiency.