Other

What other services do acoustic consultants offer? Acoustics is a vast subject and the services of an acoustic consultant can be desirable in a diverse range of situations not covered by the other more common categories. These include, but are certainly not limited to:

Laboratory
Some of our member companies can offer laboratory sound testing and analysis of equipment and materials, both in house and at site.

As part of contract conditions, large scale manufactured equipment sometimes requires that the Sound Power Level (SWL) is measured and displayed on the equipment. This Sound Power Level is a quantity intrinsic to the equipment and not affected by external conditions – rather like the power rating of a light bulb.

Sound Power Levels can be measured at the factory location or out on site, generally to a very precise methodology contained in an international standard, such as BS EN ISO 3744.

Audiology
What is Audiology? Put simply, it is the science of hearing and balance. The Noise at Work Regulations were updated in 2005 to include the requirement that employers must have the hearing of their employees checked regularly if they are exposed to noisy environments in the workplace.

Audiometric tests first involve a non intrusive physical examination of the ear using an otoscope to check for excessive wax. The person being tested then listens to a series of beeps with varying volume and frequency, indicating that they can hear the noises by pressing a button. The results are analysed to produce an audiogram – a graph showing the hearing threshold of each employee.

If an audiometric test shows hearing loss, the individual can be referred to an NHS specialist for further investigation. Tests should be repeated every year for the first two years, then every three years after that.

Some of our member companies are specialists in Audiology and can perform audiometric tests at your place of work in either suitable empty rooms at your premises or in specially designed vehicle trailers, depending on the member company.

Places of Worship
Why does a place of worship need a noise survey? Places of worship can involve the mass congregation of people at very specific times – sometimes at a time of day when most people would still be asleep!

It is common for local planning authorities to request noise surveys to accompany planning applications for new places of worship, to assess the likelihood of complaint about noise from the proposed activities.

A background survey will commonly be undertaken to measure the existing noise climate at the site of the proposed place of worship and mitigation schemes can be designed to minimise the noise impact of a proposed development.

Research
Some of our member companies can undertake research projects of varying scales and diverse acoustic topics. Some of the industry’s most respected research acousticians are employed in ANC member companies.