Industrial noise

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All noise emissions that are generated by commercial systems are referred to as commercial noise ; this is also referred to as industrial noise . A distinction must be made between the noise that affects the people working in or on the system and the noise that affects the environment or the neighborhood.

To protect the people who work in or on the system, there is a workplace ordinance in Germany .

The set of rules for the protection of the environment or the neighborhood in Germany is the Sixth General Administrative Regulation for the Federal Immission Control Act - TA Lärm - Technical Instructions for Protection against Noise, dated August 26, 1998 (GMBl. 1998 p. 503). This specifies which immissions may not be exceeded at the various immission locations (residential area, mixed area, commercial area ...). In Germany, the district offices are usually responsible for approval and monitoring .

In Germany, enforcement is the responsibility of the trade supervisory authorities or the offices for occupational safety - depending on the federal state.

Protection against industrial noise

Noise deafness has been the number one occupational disease in the commercial sector for years. What is particularly disastrous is the fact that this disease can no longer be cured. Once you have damaged your hearing, you will remain handicapped for the rest of your life. At noise levels above 90 dB (A), hearing damage can occur even with short daily exposure times (2 to 4 hours). The so-called assessment level according to accident prevention regulations is decisive for the assessment of the noise . This rating level is determined based on location or person and is equivalent to an eight-hour constant noise. At assessment levels below 85 dB (A) at the workplace, noise-related hearing damage is no longer to be expected.

However, levels above 85 dB (A) lead, depending on the activity, to undesirable impairments such as rise in blood pressure, aggression, loss of concentration and thus to a considerable reduction in performance (extraaural noise effect).

Compliance with the noise level according to the workplace ordinance is therefore recommended as the highest level of noise pollution from an economic point of view.

Primary noise protection

Measures that reduce noise as it is generated are referred to as primary or active noise protection .

Secondary noise protection

Particularly when processing workpieces, in high-speed systems, when punching or forming sheet metal, primary measures cannot be implemented at all or only with extremely great effort. Often only secondary noise protection measures such as cabins, capsules or partition walls can help.

State-of-the-art noise protection cabins have a multifunctional character. By individually designing a cabin, the noise level of the systems (e.g. drilling and milling machines, lathes, blasting systems, etc.) can be reduced far below the value required by the trade association and the trade supervisory office. In addition, a calm and stress-free environment is created for all employees, which leads to an enormous increase in performance. In the case of secondary noise protection measures, a general distinction is made between machine enclosures and personnel cabins. The classic solution for machine enclosures is to enclose the system on four sides with a roof. It is also possible to include hall walls or the ceiling as sound insulation. Power-operated angled sliding gates or lifting gates are provided for changing tools by crane or forklift. The workpieces are fed in and discharged in a similar manner. Integrated, soundproofed windows and additional doors ensure good visibility and optimal access to the system. Soundproof booths also make an active contribution to occupational safety. For machines with large dimensions, the so-called noise protection tunnel is often preferred to machine housings. Here control panels and control stations are arranged so that all staff can work in a soundproof, elongated cabin. The correct arrangement of the visible surfaces as well as good ventilation and possibly air conditioning are particularly important.

The structure of soundproofing elements is designed individually according to the requirements.

Usually a sandwich panel is used with:

  • 1.5 to 2 mm sheet metal outer shell
  • 3 to 5 mm glued heavy foil as insulation
  • 60 to 100 mm high-strength mineral fiber as cushioning, trickle protection
  • PE film, prevents oil mist from being sucked up
  • 1 mm perforated sheet cover (with perforation> 30%) to protect the mineral fiber filling

Particular attention should be paid to the connection between the elements and the connections to the floor, ceiling and walls. Only absolutely soundproof connections guarantee the success of the noise protection measure.

Economic advantages through sound insulation

The easiest way to calculate the profitability of soundproofing is for machines that are subsequently clad. Performance increases of up to 5% are to be regarded as absolutely realistic depending on the possibility of the machine setting. Significant reductions in the exclusion rate (10%) and approx. 8% fewer sickness-related absences are good sources of cost reduction. Good noise protection measures are always optimally matched to the intended use and thus not only meet the requirements of the legislature, but often achieve returns of up to 60%. Correctly deployed noise protection does not only mean paying attention to the health of all employees, but can also decisively improve the competitiveness of a company.