Noise Management

Noise pollution is considered to be any unwanted or disturbing sound that affects the health and well-being of humans and other organisms. Occupational noise, or industrial noise, is the one that people experience in their work environment. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified noise (traffic noise, noise of road, rail and air traffic), as the second most important cause of ill health in Western Europe, behind only air pollution caused by very fine particulate matter.

Noise, as one of the most burdensome and distracting factors, affects people in both physiological and psychological ways, interfering with basic activities such as work, sleep, rest, study and communication. Health effects include increased risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, myocardial infarction and even stroke.

Industrial noise could be minimised by implementing noise control and noise management. The goal of noise management is to maintain low noise exposures, such that human health and well-being are protected. It is cruciual part of environmental health programmes. Engineers and researchers still don’t know everything about the effects of sound on living things, but they know how to make the world substantially less noisy. Check what is noise managment in practice.