Noise and vibration

Noise is one of the most pervasive health hazards faced by the H&S practitioner. Induscr) is noisy, offices and places of ernertainment can be noisy, u·affic and transport vehicle of all kinds can be noisy. With the possible exception of libraries, few workplaces complecel) escape the intrusion of noise that is distracting, annoying or hazardous co hearing and health. Mechanisation and modern lifestyles have not alleviated the problem; in facr, rh opposite is true, with widespread and sustained noise exposures occurring in an increasingly noisy world. Despite the virtual absence of long-range studies of city noise, many people have already noticed that road traffic, planes, trains and construction works, often combined with buildings with poor sound insulation, have led to increasingly noisy city

environments and associated health problems.