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Annoyance effects of noise are minimally affected by demographics, but fear of the noise source and sensitivity to noise both strongly affect the 'annoyance' of a noise. [42] Sound levels as low as 40 dB(A) can generate noise complaints [ 43 ] and the lower threshold for noise producing sleep disturbance is 45 dB(A) or lower.
Cardiovascular health: Numerous studies have linked exposure to noise pollution to heart-health effects. “We now have a pretty robust body of evidence showing that noise is related to high blood ...
[80] [81] This noise pollution significantly raises the low-frequency ambient noise levels above those caused by wind. [82] Animals such as whales that depend on sound for communication can be affected by this noise in various ways. Higher ambient noise levels also cause animals to vocalize more loudly, which is called the Lombard effect.
Workers in general industry who are exposed to noise levels above 85 dBA are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to be in a hearing conservation program (HCP), which includes noise measurement, noise control, periodic audiometric testing, hearing protection, worker education, and record keeping. Twenty-four ...
Noise damage is cumulative; all sources of damage must be considered to assess risk. In the US, 12.5% of children aged 6–19 years have permanent hearing damage from excessive noise exposure. [57] The World Health Organization estimates that half of those between 12 and 35 are at risk from using personal audio devices that are too loud. [11]
The risk of negative health effects from sound exposures (be it noise or music) is primarily determined by the intensity of the sound , duration of the event, and frequency of that exposure. [9] These three factors characterize the overall sound energy level that reaches a person's ears and can be used to calculate a noise dose.
In speech communication, intelligibility is a measure of how comprehensible speech is in given conditions. Intelligibility is affected by the level (loud but not too loud) and quality of the speech signal, the type and level of background noise, reverberation (some reflections but not too many), and, for speech over communication devices, the properties of the communication system.
Noise laws and ordinances vary widely among municipalities though most specify some general prohibition against making noise that is a nuisance and the allowable sound levels that can cross a property line. Some ordinances set out specific guidelines for the level of noise allowable at certain times of the day and for certain activities. [17]