Noise and its impact
What is noise?
Noise is any sound - independent of loudness - that may produce an undesired physiological or psychological effect in an individual and that may interfere with the social events of an individual or group.
Noise and health
Noise in the environment or community seriously affects people, interfering with the daily activities at school or work and at home and during leisure time. Excessive noise can increase stress, hinder speech and affects well being. These noises are perceived as unwanted noise.
Noise is a pollutant and a hazard to human health and hearing. In fact, it has been described as the most pervasive environmental pollutant.
Noise
| Noise level (dB) | Type of noise | Conversation | Effect on human ear |
| 135 | Jet airplane | Impossible | Physical pain |
| 120 | Noisy workshop | Impossible | Threshold of pain |
| 100 | Pneumatic drill | Possible by shouting | Noise very disturbing |
| 90 | Underground train | Possible by shouting | Hearing damage may occur |
| 80 | Heavily trafficed street | Difficult -raised voices | Noise very disturbing |
| 70 | Lightly trafficed street | Difficult -raised voices | Noise - annoying |
| 60 | Bustle of large store | Slightly raised voices | Noise - acceptable |
| 50 | Day-to-day noise of normal urban household | Normal voice | Noise - acceptable in day time |
| 40-20 | Day-to-day noise of quite country house | Normal voice | Peaceful |
| 10 | Silence of recording studio | Hushed voices | Abnormally quite |
| 0 | Total silence | Threshold of hearing |
Watch the video on use of insulation for acoustic control
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