Environmental Monitoring
& Technology Series
Noise monitoring &
evaluation
For Technicians
Study module 6
Environmental Noise
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Noise monitoring & evaluation
Study Module 6
Assessment details
Purpose
This unit of competency covers the ability to monitor noise using handheld sound level
meters and fixed sound monitoring stations with either data logging or telemetry. It includes
the ability to perform noise surveys, process data and report results in accordance with
enterprise standards.
Instructions
◗ Read the theory section to understand the topic.
◗ Complete the Student Declaration below prior to starting.
◗ Attempt to answer the questions and perform any associated tasks.
◗ Email, phone, book appointment or otherwise ask your teacher for help if required.
◗ When completed, submit task by email using rules found on last page.
Student declaration
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◗ I have read and understood the SAG for this subject/unit…
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◗ I know the due date for this assessment task…
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◗ I understand how to complete this assessment task…
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◗ I understand how this assessment task is weighted…
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◗ I declare that this work, when submitted, is my own…
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Details
Student name
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Assessor
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Class code
NME
Assessment name
SM6
Due Date
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Total Marks Available
68
Marks Gained
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Final Mark (%)
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Date Marked
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Weighting
This is one of six formative assessments and contributes 10% of
the overall mark for this unit
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Introduction
What is environmental noise?
Quite simply stated, environmental noise is the noise of the world registered at your ears.
The reason that environmental noise is so important is because the world has become
smaller, and therefore somewhat noisier. To account for this, each country, state, region
and locality now falls under some sort of environmental noise management programme.
In NSW, the primary document is the NSW Industrial Noise Policy, but each State and
Territory has its own version of a guidance document for the management of environmental
noise in Australia.
From the outset, it should be obvious that environmental noise is the ‘sum’ of all noises in
an area that you hear. In previous study modules you have learnt about the measurement
of discrete noise sources, in this module you will learn about measuring the ambient noise.
The behaviour of environmental noise
We learnt earlier in Study Module 3 that noise sources can be defined as either point
sources (spherical or hemispherical) or line sources. But how does the attenuation
(diminishment) of sound behave once it is emitted from a source?
Using the following diagram as an example, we can actually measure noise attenuation or
propagation from three different points (i.e. two distances from a source, and the source
itself);
◗ Between two distances other than the source
◗ Between a distance from the source to the source
Figure 6.1 – Noise emanating from a source being measured (or predicted) at four points (including
the source). If we know at least one of these points, we can calculate the others.
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Distance attenuation (as opposed to attenuation via other techniques such as using barriers
or noise cancellation techniques) is the reduction of sound pressure level as a function of
distance. As a general rule the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) will decrease by 6 dB with a
doubling of distance from a point source in the free field (which follows the Inverse Square
Law discussed in Study Module 3.
Using Figure 6.1 as a reference, we can calculate for four scenarios, from either point or line
sources;
◗ Calculating attenuation from the source to r1
◗ Calculate from r1 to r2 or r3
◗ Calculate from r3 or r2 to r1
◗ Calculate from r1 to the source (although that is sketchy at best)
The following relationships can be used to quantify distance attenuation (between the r’s);
For a point source, we use;
𝑟1
𝐿2 = 𝐿1 − 20𝑙𝑜𝑔10 ( )
𝑟2
For a line source we use;
𝑟1
𝐿2 = 𝐿1 − 10𝑙𝑜𝑔10 ( )
𝑟2
Where, for either equation;
L2
= SPL at a second (further) distance from the source in metres
L1
= SPL at the closer distance from the source in metres
r1
= distance in metres to location x from the source
r2
= distance in metres to location y from the source
NOTE: To ‘reverse’ the scenario, swap L1 with L2 as well as r1 and r2. This will change the
direction of the attenuation (i.e. moving away or closer).
The following relationships can be used to determine from Sound Pressure Levels (dBPascals)
Sound Power Levels (dBWatts), which, for a point source is;
𝐿𝑝 = 𝐿𝑊 − 20𝑙𝑜𝑔10 (𝑟) − 5
And for a line source, it behaves as;
𝐿𝑝 = 𝐿𝑊 − 20𝑙𝑜𝑔10 (𝑟) − 8
Where, for either equation;
Lp is sound pressure level in dB(A),
Lw is sound power level in dB(A),
“r” is the distance from the source to the measuring point (and is actually a radius).
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NOTE: To ‘reverse’ the scenario, swap Lp for Lw and reverse the second sign. This will
approximate the Sound Power Level from a measure Sound Pressure Level.
A purely theoretical graphical depiction of attenuation can be seen in the figure below;
Figure 6.2 – Mathematical visualisation of sound attenuation from a source. Both lines start from
100dB and show a reduction of the SPL by 6 dB for every doubling of distance. The red (upper) line
shows a line source. The blue (lower) line shows a point source. A ‘truer’ graph would be a smooth
curve. Reality would be a more random and rapid decline.
The formulas assume no increased attenuation due to barriers, air absorption or ground
effects and no directivity effects from the source. If the source is not directional towards the
receiver, the formula is likely to provide a conservative estimation of sound pressure level,
that is, the actual value may be less than this.
Other than the loudness of the noise, there are other factors in the noise itself that can
create problems. Tonal noise has a prominent frequency and is characterised by a definite
pitch. These characteristics can make the noise more annoying than its noise level alone
would suggest. Examples would be a vehicle horn, a whining noise from a leaf blower or an
electrical transformer, which may emit a ‘humming’ tone at their specific frequency.
The expressions of attenuation described above are only approximate at best as reality has
a habit of throwing chaos into the mix. The most important factors that can affect noise
include;
◗ Whether it’s a point if a line source
◗ The distance between the source and the receiver
◗ Wind influences
◗ Temperature inversions
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◗ Physical barriers and reflection
◗ Humidity and precipitation
Most of these factors are dealt with by the relevant guidance documents in your region, and
dealt with in these notes with reference to the NSW INP and other documents.
Meteorological conditions
In the first part of this course, you should have studied a unit based on the theory of
meteorology. In that unit, you would have been told that collecting meteorological data was
a critical function for a variety of other environmental monitoring work such as ambient and
stationary air pollution…and noise! The problem with noise is that is can be affected by the
‘weather’ through one of two common weather events: inversions and wind gradients.
◗ Temperature inversions are atmospheric conditions where temperatures increase with
height above ground level instead of decreasing.
◗ Wind gradients exist where wind velocities increase with height.
Inversions can focus noise by creating a difference in density which deflects noise, and wind
gradients can have a similar effect when they exist with wind direction from the source to
the receiver. Both of these meteorological effects typically increase noise levels by 5 to 20
dB, causing a significant noise impact on residents living in areas prone to these effects. As a
result, the environmental technician is sometimes called upon to perform meteorological
assessments during noise monitoring events to account for these phenomena.
Figure 6.3 – Explanation of the potential effects of temperature inversions on noise. [Source]
The inversion effects are only problematic during the times that inversions usually occur
which is usually at night, so between 10pm and 7am. The INP outlines a 4-step procedure
for assessing the amount by which noise is increased by inversion effects, but this is usually
undertaken by senior engineers or other experts, but in general, follows the points below;
◗ Do initial screening tests
◗ Determine the significance of temperature inversions
◗ Decide on inversion parameters to use
◗ Assess the expected impact
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The effects of gradient wind on noise levels also need to be accounted for when assessing
the impact from a planned development. Gradient wind differs from the drainage-flow wind
associated with temperature inversions. Drainage-flow wind is the localised drainage of cold
air under the influence of the local topography, and travels in the direction of decreasing
altitude, whereas, gradient wind is the regional wind determined by high and low-pressure
systems and may originate from any direction.
Wind data are usually relatively easy to obtain, and wind roses are commonly used in most
environmental impact assessments. Unlike temperature inversions, gradient winds may
cause impacts during any assessment period and not just the night period. Hence the
assessment of these effects should consider all assessment periods.
Figure 6.4 – Effect of gradient wind on noise. The ‘gradient’ occurs as a change of wind speed with
altitude. The higher wind speeds can force the noise field down. [Source]
Wind effects need to be assessed where wind is a feature of the area. Wind is considered to
be a feature where source-to-receiver wind speeds at 10m height of 3 m/s or below occur
for 30 per cent of the time or more in any assessment period (day, evening, night) in any
season.
This differs from the procedure used with temperature inversions, in that the 30-per-cent
occurrence applies to all seasons and each assessment period, and not just the winter
season and night assessment period. There are two ways to assess wind effects:
◗ Use a wind rose to determine whether wind is a feature based on the frequency of
occurrence and wind speed.
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◗ Simply assume that wind is a feature of the area and apply a ‘maximum impact’
scenario.
Figure 6.5 – Example of a Wind Rose used in assessments. You will learn how to produce these
complex graphs as part of your assessment. [Source]
Wind can be measured at two heights;
◗ at the microphone position
◗ at 10 m above the ground
When wind near the ground increases its speed it can increase ambient noise levels by
rustling foliage and creating turbulence when passing over or around structures. At higher
wind speeds, the noise produced by wind will drown out noise from most industrial and
transportation sources, and as such, an upper limit of 5 m/s at the microphone position is
commonly applied during noise measurement to reduce this effect.
Where wind speeds increase with height there is an effect that is analogous to temperature
inversions but restricted to localities downwind of the noise source. This effect is
represented by the wind speed and direction measured at a 10 m height above the ground.
The 10-m wind may either be a drainage flow wind associated with an inversion or a
gradient wind, but either way, a default wind speed of 3 m/s (at 10-m height) is used for
assessing noise impacts caused by gradient winds.
Wind data rules
Where there is 30 per cent or more occurrence of wind speeds below 3 m/s (source-toreceiver component), then use the highest wind speed (below 3 m/s) instead of the default.
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Where there is less than a 30 per cent occurrence of wind of up to 3 m/s (source-to-receiver
component), wind is not included in the noise-prediction calculation. Where there is a wind
speed at microphone level greater than 5 m/s, exclude the associated noise data from any
assessment. The calm condition is typically represented by wind speeds less than or equal
to 0.5 metres per second as this is likely to be the lower limit of measurement.
Noise legislation & regulation
You should now know that the management of day-to-day environmental operations occurs
at the State level of government, and unfortunately, each State and Territory implements its
own version of environmental legislation and management. This is also true for noise, but
there are ‘universal’ aspects to the science that are common. This results in a multi layered
document approach to noise management and control. What follows is the story for noise in
NSW.
Who manages noise?
The current Department that manages noise in NSW is the Office of Environment and
Heritage (OEH). Within the OEH is the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and
we also have the Local Government and the Police to contend with in understanding all of
this (although we don’t cover resident-to-resident complaints here). The other side of the
coin is the NSW Planning people (currently called Planning NSW), who incorporate noise
assessments into their environmental impact assessments, but they follow the same
procedures as the compliance arm.
Outlined below is the current source of noise management and measurement procedures
used in NSW (some of which are also used Australia wide);
◗ AS/NZS 1055 (1-3)
◗ OEH Noise management guidelines
◗ NSW EPA via the POEO Act and Regulations
◗ LGA Act
◗ EPI’s (such as SEPP (Infrastructure) 2007)
◗ EPL’s
◗ Planning consent conditions
And most of these documents (except the Standards) reference the key document in noise
management, the NSW Industrial Noise Policy, or INP.
The EPA, Planning NSW, the Local Councils and the Police, one way or another, all require
noise impact assessments to follow the key provisions and procedures of the INP, and in
most cases, alternative approaches are not acceptable, so the approach used in the INP will
be the focus of our discussions here.
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A summary of the Standards
There are three Standards directly related to environmental noise under the heading of
Acoustics – Description and measurement of environmental noise, which are;
◗ AS 1055.1 – 1997 Part 1: General procedures
◗ As 1055.2 – 1997 Part 2: Application to specific situations
◗ AS 1055.3 – 1997 Part 3: Acquisition of data pertinent to land use
NOTE: These Standards are available to students through the library database. See links on
the Study Materials page for the noise subject on the Enviro Online website. You will need
your TAFE username and password to access these documents.
Part 1 - General procedures
This Standard sets out the requirements for noise assessments for general environmental
noise and does not account for the noise emanating from road, rail, air or water borne
sources.
NOTE: There are specific documents for most States that cover these noise sources which
won’t be covered here in too much detail. Refer to the references for specific guidelines.
The procedures outline the various expression of noise that can be applied to environmental
circumstances, the most common of which are;
◗ LAeq,T
◗ LA%,T
Where ‘T’ represents the duration of the attended monitoring, which is usually 15 minutes
by default Also, the most common meter settings used are ‘A’ frequency weighted and ‘F’
time weighted. The Aeq and % expressions are discussed in earlier study modules, but they
refer to the ‘A’ weighted equivalent noise level and the statistical percent % exceedance
noise levels.
Types of monitoring
The two common ‘types’ of noise monitoring, which are required to be performed
simultaneously for quality control reasons are ‘logged’ monitoring and ‘attended’
monitoring.
Logged monitoring
Logged monitoring involved the use of environmental noise data loggers, which are ‘black
boxes’ that sit in the field for at least one week (7 days) and collect data on a continuous or
near continuous basis. These can be set up to collect all data, including weighted (A, and C
weights) data, unweighted (raw) data, relative data (such as all ‘Levels’ like LA eq, and
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statistical expressions at any percent fraction LA%. The figure below shows a common
logger.
Figure 6.6 – Example of an environmental data logger showing the data logger (grey box) and the
battery (black box). The microphone is placed on an ‘aerial that screws into the lid of the water proof
Pelican case.
These loggers are rarely ever purchased by the users, and are most commonly rented from
specialist laboratories or consultants. They are calibrated by the same laboratories’ that
they are hired from both electrically and acoustically if required or possible for that
particular unit.
Attended monitoring
Attended monitoring is just that, monitoring done with a portable IASLM. This type of
monitoring is used as a quality control ‘double check’ to ensure that the data logger is
working correctly. The technician will perform attended monitoring at certain locations
(usually the locations of the noise logger) over the week which covers the three different
times of day; day, evening and night.
Figure 6.7 – Example of attended monitoring. This can be done with a remote control to avoid
unintentional noise generation from the technician.
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Calibration & field checks
The terminology associated with calibration can be a bit confusing. Formally speaking, a
noise calibration is an electrical check of the system, and is performed every 2 years by a
NATA accredited lab for all noise loggers, meters and acoustic calibrators.
The term calibration is also frequently applied to what the Standard refers to as ‘Field
checks’ (Section 5.6). Although technically incorrect when applied to field checks, the term
calibration can be used interchangeably.
To perform field checks, an item called a pistonphone is used. These come in a variety of
shapes and sizes, and have two constants associated with them;
◗ A known frequency (typically 1000 Hz)
◗ A known amplitude (typically 94 dB)
An example of a pistonphone can be seen in the figure below;
Figure 6.8 – Example of a field check pistonphone.
The procedure is very simple, you use the pistonphone before and after every noise
measurement to ensure that the reading form the attended noise meter (IASLM) are
accurate. The resulting data is recorded on the field record sheet for that specific
measurement. Just like the noise meter itself, the pistonphone must be electrically
calibrated every two years. Some meters come with an internal electrical calibration, which
simply involves the use of a screwdriver to change the displayed setting to the desired
setting if out by any factor.
NOTE: The Standard states that if there is a discrepancy of 1dB between checks, the
measured data is invalid and re-calibration and measurement be performed again.
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Measurements
Due to the variance of possible measurement scenarios, only the general details are
discussed her, but in short, the following details should be considered when making
measurements in the field;
◗ Orientation of the microphone to the potential source
◗ Be at least 3.5 meters from any reflecting surface (other than the ground)
◗ Be between 1.2 and 1.5 meters vertical to the ground (on a tripod)
◗ Working near buildings requires specific conditions (see 6.2.3 and 6.2.4 of the Standard)
◗ Use microphone windscreen when outdoors
◗ Measure meteorological conditions at representative site, including, but not limited to;
o Temperature
o Relative humidity
o Barometric pressure
o Wind speed
o Wind direction
NOTE: Although the Standard does not mention it, as rain can be very noisy, it is also
recommended that rainfall be measured as this can be useful in interpreting the data.
Specific measurement procedures
The next thing considered by the Standard is the type of noise being generated by the
source. Noise types include;
◗ Steady noise
◗ Non-steady noise
◗ Stepped noise
◗ Separate noise events
Each of these types of noise can be treated or measured using different techniques. Steady
noise is considered to be noise with a variation of less than 3-5 dB, as is found with motors
and the like. These noises would be measured using LAeq,T settings, with A and F setting
applied. Non-steady noises are assessed using the statistical settings on the meters. Noises
that can be broken up into sections of discretely different characteristics can be measured
separately and added together (refer to Section 6.4.4 and 6.5.5).
The Standard also makes mention of other more technical details such as;
◗ Determination of adjusted percent exceedances
◗ Tonal adjustments
◗ Impulse adjustments
◗ Long term time averaged
NOTE: Most of this information is taken into account differently when the INP is applied.
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Information to be recorded
Although the Standard specifies and details information required to be recorded before,
during and after a noise study, the Standard is the minimum standard of information
required.
Other documents, such as INP, Roads, Rail or airport guidelines, when used, the information
to be recorded should follow their instructions. In general though, the technician would
record;
◗ The measurement technique
◗ Type of instrument
◗ Calibration information
◗ Field check (acoustic calibration) results
◗ Date, time and duration of assessments
◗ Locations and positions of assessments (may be on a map)
◗ General conditions and activities during assessment (observations)
Sometimes qualitative or subjective assessments or information are required. An example of
this could include observations about horns, planes, trains, dogs or insects that could be
contributing to noise.
Part2 - Applications to specific situations
The objective of this Part is to provide guidelines for setting noise limits and describes
procedures for checking compliance with such limits and for investigations of specific
environmental noise situations. It is assumed that noise limits are established by relevant
authorities for each State or Territory (so, for NSW we use the INP) to which references are
made. The INP is much more detailed with regards to the setting and use of noise limits, and
as such we won’t focus on this Part to any great extent.
The Standard refers to the following noise descriptors, and the authority setting the noise
limit will typically apply the most relevant one, unless the governing document overrides it.
A choice shall be made from the following;
◗ Adjusted percent exceedance A-weighted sound pressure level (LA%,adj,T) and
background A-weighted sound pressure level (LA90,T)
◗ Rating level, (LAr,T)
NOTE: This is consistent with descriptors used in AS 1055.1 and AS 1055.3. In order to
estimate the severity of noise annoyance using this descriptor, it is necessary to compare
the rating level with a noise limit as specified by the relevant regulatory authority.
◗ Percent exceedance A-weighted sound pressure level (LA%,T)
The rest of Part 2 of the Standard simply outlines the various sections of that are dealt with
under the Noise Limit Document (in NSW, the INP), which is discussed in the next section.
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Part 3 - Acquisition of data pertinent to land use
This is an interesting Part to the Standard series. It relates to the representation of noise
data from a land use point of view. With regards to the INP, this would relate to both the
intrusiveness scenarios and amenity tables. The key goals of this Part are to;
Figure 6.9 – Example of the application of noise mapping.
◗ enable the description of the environmental noise in a specified area of land to be made
in a uniform way, and
◗ enable the compatibility of any land use activity or projected activity with existing or
predicted environmental noise to be assessed
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The Standard outlines the key variables so that noise mapping is universally applied
regardless of who does it, so that the maps are universally interpretable. The information
covered includes;
◗ Geographic descriptions of the study area
◗ Description of the main noise sources
◗ Acoustical data
◗ Meteorological data
The number and locations of the measurement sites can be considered in three ways;
◗ Equally spaced (grid) formations
◗ Along equal sound level lines (approximated)
◗ In areas of equal sound (i.e. tone etc)
The exact position depends on the study and the desired outcome (i.e. long term averages
and rating assessments). Note that in the INP, these positions are governed by intrusiveness
and amenity criteria and measurements are primarily based at the nearest receivers.
The other information referenced in the Standard relate to the appropriate time intervals
for sampling and measurement (i.e. 1 day, 7 day or longer), as well as the sampling time
interval (i.e. 15 minutes, which is left to the Noise Limit documents such as the INP).
Mapping noise zones
The Standard also discusses how to produce a noise map. Today, there are many industry
standard software applications, such as the Environmental Noise Model, which can include
calculations and criteria from other government agreed programs such as DECC’s
Environmental Criteria for Road Traffic Noise, ECRTN.
Figure 6.10 – The GUI of the PEN3D Environmental Noise Model software.
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A summary of the NSW INP
We know that noise in the workplace can have a catastrophic effect on hearing function and
overall health, but few of us might consider the adverse effects that environmental noise
has on individuals and communities as a whole.
If we follow the World Health Organization definition of health as…
“a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just as the absence
of disease”
…then we can see how environmental noise can become a major problem including direct
effects such as noise-induced hearing loss, speech interference, sleep disturbance and
annoyance, to long-term effects on physical and mental health as a result of long-term
annoyance and prolonged disturbance to sleep.
Noise, therefore, has been acknowledged as a very important aspect of the environment
that must be assessed as a result of planned or existing scheduled activities or processes. It
was this acknowledgment that the NSW Government created the NSW Industrial Noise
Policy, for which the overall aim of which is to allow the need for industrial activity to be
balanced with the desire for quiet in the community. The specific policy objectives are;
◗ to establish noise criteria that would protect the community from excessive intrusive
noise and preserve amenity for specific land uses
◗ to use the criteria as the basis for deriving project specific consent or licence noise levels
◗ to promote uniform methods to estimate and measure noise impacts, including a
procedure for evaluating meteorological effects
◗ to outline a range of mitigation measures that could be used to minimise noise impacts
◗ to provide a formal process to guide the determination of feasible and reasonable noise
limits for consents or licences that reconcile noise impacts with the economic, social and
environmental considerations of industrial development
◗ to carry out functions relating to the prevention, minimisation and control of noise from
premises scheduled under the Act.
What does the INP do?
The policy is specifically aimed at assessing noise from industrial noise sources scheduled
under the new Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997. It is used as a guide by
Environment Protection Authority (EPA) officers for setting statutory limits in licences for
these sources.
Local government is an independent regulator for noise under the legislation, and thus has
discretion in dealing with noise within its area of responsibility, but still provides a
framework for Councils to adhere to for assessment. The policy is designed for large and
complex industrial sources and specifies substantial monitoring and assessment procedures
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that may not always be applicable to the types of sources councils need to address. In
general, the types of noise sources dealt with in the policy are:
◗ facilities, encompassing all the activities taking place within the property boundary
◗ maintenance and repair facilities
◗ individual industrial sources,
Examples of noise sources that are not dealt with by the policy include;
◗ transportation corridors (roadways, railways and air corridors)
◗ motor sport facilities
◗ construction activities
◗ noise sources covered by regulations such as domestic/neighbourhood noise
Environmental noise criteria
The assessment procedure for industrial noise sources has two components:
◗ controlling intrusive noise impacts in the short term for residences
◗ maintaining noise level amenity for particular land uses for residences and other land
uses
Intrusive noise impacts
What is intrusiveness? The NSW EPA defines intrusiveness (for noise) as…
“Noise is identified as ‘intrusive’ if it is noticeably louder than the background noise
and considered likely to disturb or interfere with those who can hear it.”
The intrusiveness of an industrial noise source may generally be considered acceptable if
the LAeq, measured over a 15-minute period, does not exceed the background noise level
measured in the absence of the source by more than 5 dB.
Where the noise source contains annoying characteristics (such as prominent tonal
components, impulsiveness, intermittency, irregularity and dominant low-frequency
content), the INP allows for modifications to be applied prior to applying the noise criteria.
The intrusiveness criterion is summarised as follows;
◗ LAeq, 15minute Rating Background Level (RBL) plus 5dB where;
◗ LAeq, 15 minute represents the equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level of
the source over 15 minutes.
◗ The LAeq, 15 minute is assessed at the most-affected point on or within the residential
property boundary, or, if that is more than 30 m from the residence, at the mostaffected point within 30 m of the residence.
NOTE: Other descriptors may be used as appropriate provided they can be justified on the
basis of being characteristic of the source (see INP Section 2.3). The 15-minute period has
been selected as a reasonable estimate of the period over which annoyance may occur.
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Protecting noise amenity
The term ‘amenity’ refers to…
“the pleasantness or desirable quality of an area”
One of the key goals of noise management is to protect a community against the ‘loss of
amenity’, which is considered separate to the basic concept of a directly intrusive noise. The
loss of amenity is considered to occur by gradually increasing the overall levels of noise,
which is commonly referred to as ‘noise creep’. The INP outlines a comprehensive set of
‘rules’ to ensure that the protection from loss of amenity occurs in Table 2.1.
To limit continuing increases in noise levels, the maximum ambient noise level within an
area from industrial noise sources should not normally exceed the acceptable noise levels
specified in Table 2.1.
It is assumed based on local and overseas historical data that meeting the acceptable noise
levels in Table 2.1 will protect against noise impacts such as speech interference,
community annoyance and sleep disturbance.
The Table also incorporates the land tenure (use) in its assessment by outlining common
activities and uses such as schools, hospitals and worship. These recommended maximum
values provide guidance on an upper limit to the level of noise from industry.
It is interesting to note the compromise considered when a scenario exists where a
proposed development exceeds the recommended maximum noise levels in Table 2.1. In
such cases, the demonstration of significant other benefits from the scheduled activity or
process is required to allow exceptions to occur. So, if you are creating jobs or improving
some other aspect of the local economy or society, you could in theory, be as noisy as you
wanted!
Where the existing noise level from industrial noise sources is close to the acceptable noise
level, the noise level from any new source(s) must be controlled to preserve the amenity of
an area. If the total noise level from industrial sources already exceeds the acceptable noise
level for the area in question, the LAeq noise level from any new source should not be
greater than:
◗ 10 dB below the acceptable noise level if there is a reasonable expectation that existing
levels may be reduced in the future; or
◗ 10 dB below the existing level if there is no such reasonable expectation that existing
levels will fall (for example, in cases where surrounding areas are fully developed) and
no significant changes to land use are expected.
Table 2.2 sets out the implications of this requirement for noise from industrial sources.
Adjustments are to be applied to the source noise level received at the assessment point,
before comparison with this criterion, where the noise source contains annoying
characteristics such as prominent tonal components, impulsiveness, intermittency,
irregularity and dominant low-frequency content, as outlined in Section 4.
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The LAeq, descriptor applies for both the intrusiveness criterion (LAeq, 15 minute) and the
amenity criterion (LAeq, period). In this policy, the equivalent continuous (energy average)
level (A-weighted) of the industrial source is of interest (not necessarily that of the total
noise environment)
Type of receiver
Indicative Noise
amenity area
Time of day
Day
Evening
Night
Day
Evening
Night
Day
Evening
Night
Day
Evening
50
45
40
55
45
40
60
50
45
65
55
Recommended
maximum
55
50
45
60
50
45
65
55
50
70
60
Night
50
55
35
40
35
50
40
55
40
45
See notes in Section 2.2.1
Acceptable
Rural
Suburban
Residence
Urban
Urban/Industrial
Interface (for
existing situations
only)
School classroom
– internal
All
Hospital ward
Internal
External
All
Place of worship
Area specifically
reserved for
passive recreation
Active recreation
area (e.g. school
playground, golf
course
Commercial
premises
Industrial
premises
Recommended LAeq noise level dB(A)
All
Noisiest 1 hr
period
Noisiest 1 hr
period
When in use
All
When in use
50
55
All
When in use
55
60
All
When in use
65
70
All
When in use
70
75
Table 6.1 – Table 2.1 from the INP (Section 2.2.1) of the INP details notes that support the use of
Table 2.1 including definitions and access to case studies through the appendices.
How to determine the type of receiver
Every piece of land in Australia has tenure, and as such, we can follow a variety of
government instruments to determine the exact tenure of the lands being affected by noise.
Examples of this include;
◗ Land zonings under LEP’s
◗ EPI’s such as SEPP’s and DCP’s
But in other cases, negotiations will need to be undertaken to determine the predominant
land use, and how the land use will change in the future.
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Project specific noise levels
After determining the relevant noise levels from the intrusive and amenity criteria, the
Project Specific Noise Levels (PSNL) can be assigned. The project-specific noise levels reflect
the most stringent noise level requirement from the noise levels derived from both the
intrusive and amenity criteria.
The PSNL set the benchmark against which noise impacts and the need for noise mitigation
are assessed. It is these levels that appear in Licence and Consent Conditions
The LAeq, descriptor applies for both the intrusiveness criterion (LAeq, 15 minute) and the
amenity criterion (LAeq, period). In this policy, the LAeq,T of the industrial source is of
interest (not necessarily that of the total noise environment). In certain circumstances
other noise descriptors may be more appropriate for measurement/assessment or
compliance purposes, depending on the characteristics of the noise source.
The determination of the PSNL is a somewhat complex procedure, the details of which are
outlined in the INP, but in short, follows the following ‘rules’;
Step 1: Collect noise data to determine the following;
◗ Assessment Background Level (ABL - LA90, 15 minute)
◗ Ambient industrial noise from source (LAeq, 15 minute)
Step 2: Determine representative noise levels
◗ Rating Background Level (RBL)
◗ Existing ambient levels (LAeq)
Step 3: Determine Intrusiveness Criteria (IC)
◗ IC (LAeq,15minute) ≤ RBL + 5 dB
Step 4: Determine the Amenity Criteria (AC), which is equal to;
◗ ANL, where existing ambient level is more than 6 dB below ANL; or
◗ < ANL, where existing ambient level is between ‘ANL+1 dB’ and ‘ANL – 6 dB’; or
◗ AIL - 10 dB, where existing ambient level is greater than ‘ANL+1 dB’ and existing noise
levels are unlikely to decrease in future; or
◗ ANL - 10 dB, where existing ambient level is greater than ‘ANL+1 dB’ and existing noise
levels are likely to decrease in future; or
◗ existing traffic noise level (LAeq, period) minus 10 dB' where existing traffic noise level is
10 dB above ANL
After all of this, you will end up with two critical values, the Intrusiveness Criteria and the
Amenity Criteria (as well as various background and ambient levels) and this allows you to
define the Project Specific Noise Levels (PSNL) applicable to project as;
The PSNL = the lower of the intrusive criterion and the amenity criterion
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The background noise levels
The background noise level is defined here as…
“the underlying level of noise present in ambient noise when all unusual extraneous
noise is removed”
Sound levels contributing to background levels can include any noise at all, such as sound
from nearby traffic, birds, insects, animals, machinery and similar sources if these sounds
are a normal feature of the location.
For assessment purposes, there are two ‘background’ levels; the Assessment background
Level (ABL) and the Rating Background Level (RBL). Both are different and both are
important reference values used in noise assessment. Furthermore, both are statistical
derivations calculated from the raw collected noise data. The INP has a considerable write
up (Appendix B) on how to determine both backgrounds, as well as information on how to
use and interpret their values.
Assessment Background Level (ABL)
The ABL is the single figure background level representing each assessment period (daytime,
evening and night time) for each day. It is determined by calculating the 10th percentile
background level (LA90) for each period.
What this means is that for every period of time; day, evening and night, the LA 90 is
determined from the data and we end up with three ABL’s for that day. This value can be
seen in the figure below (which has been trimmed to one hour).
Figure 6.11 – Visual representation of the data from a noise assessment showing the measured
LAeq, the overall LAeq, the LA10 and the LA90 used to define the background noise level.
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The Rating Background Level
The Rating Background Level (RBL) is different to the ABL. The RBL for each period is the
median value of the ABL values for the period over all of the days measured. There is
therefore an RBL value for each period (daytime, evening and night time). For example, for a
week’s worth of monitoring, the evening rating background level is the median of the seven
evening assessment background levels. It is the RBL that is used in PSNL intrusiveness
assessments.
Length of background noise assessments
There are also two time frames associated with background assessments; long term and
short term. The long term assessment is used for planning and consent conditions and uses
data loggers that are placed out in the field for a period of one week. The short term
assessment is used for monitoring compliance with noise criteria, such as for those
scheduled activities using an EPL, and to assure/control the quality of the noise loggers.
The application and use of INP criteria
All the information above relating to the Australian Standards and the Industrial Noise Policy
(and other noise guidelines) are used by the Appropriate Regulatory Authority (ARA), to
determine licence or consent conditions, but they are also used by private industry (such as
mines or consultancies) to anticipate the requirements of planning authorities when they
are undertaking a development. The two applications focused on here are;
◗ Planning using the INP to apply consent conditions to a development
◗ EPA using the INP to apply the criteria to EPL’s
Planning consent conditions
When the planning department is concerned about noise as part of their environmental
assessment of a planned activity or process, they can request noise studies be undertaken
by the proponent to ensure intrusiveness and amenity are protected against.
This is actually a very common scenario, and the reason for the monitoring dictates the type
of monitoring, which is long term background and ambient studies, followed by modelling
and predictive impacts.
The statutory trigger for this type of monitoring applies to new developments or existing
developments that are seeking extensions, whether they are currently Scheduled Activities
or not, and also dictates certain other aspects of the monitoring such as the requirements
for predictive assessment of cumulative effects. The various triggers include;
◗ New development under the EP&A Act 1979
◗ Developments under SEPP (Infrastructure) 2007
◗ Certain activities associate with Local Government.
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An example of the use of the INP in the application of planning consent conditions can be
seen in the figure below;
Figure 6.12 – Example of a noise assessment using loggers and attended monitoring for a planned
expansion to an existing Scheduled Activity under POEO. Meteorology data was based on off-site
data from a nearby mine.
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This noise monitoring is performed by expert consultants (one day that will be you!) but is
organised by the proponents (in this case Orica). Once the information is submitted to the
planning people, they use this data to determine their specific planning needs, and can
request that a number of actions that can be implemented in order for the planning consent
to be given, including;
◗ Requesting more monitoring
◗ Undertaking community and stakeholder meeting to discuss impacts
◗ Request noise modelling and prediction of cumulative effects be undertaken
◗ Demand that noise mitigation actions be implemented (such as barriers)
Once the planning department is happy that noise is no longer a threat to intrusiveness or
amenity of the nearby receivers, they will grant consent, and the operation can go ahead.
Once the development, or expansion, has been completed, the activity or process will
become operational, and as such the focus of the activity or process falls under the NSW
EPA. If the operation is a Scheduled Activity, then there will be a requirement for an
Environmental Protection Licence (EPL) to be issued.
Environmental Protection Licences
The EPA EPL’s are used for existing Scheduled Activities under the POEO Act 1997 and
associated regulations for the issuing of noise licence conditions in the noise section of an
EPL (if required).
The EPA uses the INP to determine the licence conditions to be applied. How they do that
precisely involves some of the quantitative nature of the ‘rule sets’ of the INP, yet their
decisions also consider more community based subjective needs. An example of an EPA
licence with noise criteria which have been derived from the INP can be seen in the figure
below;
Figure 6.13 – Example of noise conditions in an EPL.
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The EPL noise criteria are based on all the requirements used in the planning phase, so the
same data is used by the EPA to set the Licence criteria.
In the figure above, we can clearly see that there must not be daytime exceedances of 45 dB
and 35 dB during most other times, and that the noise is to be measured at the nearest
residential receiver or other noise sensitive area.
If we compare these criteria in the licence to those of Table 2.1, we can see that the licence
criteria are well below those of the INP criteria. Clearly, in this case, the EPA believes that
these criteria will satisfy the intrusiveness and amenity criteria for the local community.
The role of an environmental technician
As an environmental technician, you will be required to perform the monitoring of noise and
collect the data, and the associated meteorological data that is required.
Consider an existing development that wants to expand its operations. This happens to be
the case with Orica’s Ammonium Nitrate Emulsion plant at Richmondvale in the Hunter
Valley. In this development, the proponent (Orica) has requested to expand its operations,
and as such, the relevant planning authority has requested a noise study to accompany the
Environmental Assessment (EA) associated with the development application.
In the noise assessment, Orica has declared that there are a 21 potential noise receiver’s in
a 3km radius of the proposed development. They also declare that there is no current
obligation for noise monitoring under the current EPL. The noise assessment was
undertaken by a consultancy, who states they all monitoring was in accordance with the
objectives and methodologies of the INP.
When you explore exactly what was required and what was determined, you find that
several different pieces of noise information are studied and concluded, including;
Actual monitoring
◗ The use of noise data loggers at two sites
◗ Attended noise monitoring using a IASLM
◗ Meteorological data
INP assessment determinations
◗ Intrusive noise criteria
◗ Amenity criteria
◗ Project specific noise level criteria
◗ Construction noise criteria
◗ Sleep disturbance noise goals
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Noise monitoring & evaluation
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Noise modelling software of;
◗ INP default meteorological conditions (i.e. inversions, strong winds etc)
◗ Site specific meteorological conditions (using a nearby mine’s data)
◗ Modelling different construction noises
◗ Modelling different operational noise conditions
◗ The influence of road traffic noise
◗ Cumulative impact predictions
◗ Sleep disturbance predictions
As you can see, this is a lot of work done from data that an environmental technician might
collect. It also provides a glimpse of the types of data evaluations that you might be
required to do in order for scientists and engineers to use the data in modelling software.
You will learn to do the practical monitoring of noise using data loggers, IASLM as well as
collecting and interpreting the meteorological data as part of your practical exercises for
this unit. You will also need to analyse the collected data and interpret the results in
accordance with the appropriate legislation, codes of practice and other documents.
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Assessment task
After reading the theory above, answer the questions below. Note that;

Marks are allocated to each question.

Keep answers to short paragraphs only, no essays.

Make sure you have access to the references (last page)

If a question is not referenced, use the supplied notes for answers
Answer the following questions
1. What is meant by the term ‘environmental noise’? 1mk
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
2. Describe how much noise attenuates with a doubling of distance. 1mk
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
3. List the four common factors that can affect noise attenuation from a source. 1mk
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
4. Briefly describe the two key meteorological phenomena that can affect noise behaviour.
4mk
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
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5. Briefly describe how the two factors identified above affect noise. 6mk
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
6. Examine Figure 6.5. What key information does a wind rose tell us? How would this
information be useful when interpreting noise data for a community? 6mk
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
7. At what two heights are winds commonly measured? 1mk
Type your answer here
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8. List five documents that are used in noise management in NSW. 1mk
Type your answer here
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9. What are the two key expressions of noise used in AS1055.1? How do they differ? 6 mk
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
10. Define, and explain the difference between, logged and attended noise monitoring. 4mk
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Study Module 6
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
11. What is the difference between a ‘calibration’ and a ‘filed check’ with regards to noise
meters? Which one do environmental technicians perform? 4mk
Type your answer here
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12. What are the four ‘types’ of noise mentioned in the Standard? 1mk
Type your answer here
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13. Briefly describe the aims of AS 1055.2. 4mk
Type your answer here
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14. In As 1055.3, what are the four key pieces of information required in applying noise data
to land use. 1mk
Type your answer here
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15. Define and describe the difference between noise ‘intrusiveness’ and ‘amenity’. 4mk
Type your answer here
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Noise monitoring & evaluation
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Leave blank for assessor feedback
16. Under what circumstances (by what criteria) is intrusiveness noise considered to be
acceptable? 2mk
Type your answer here
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17. Where is intrusive noise to be measured? 2mk
Type your answer here
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18. Read Section 2.2.1 of the INP. What is the acceptable noise level for an urban area at
night? 2mk
Type your answer here
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19. What are two of the ‘tools’ that assessors can use to determine the type of land use
(tenure) for an amenity assessment? 1mk
Type your answer here
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20. What does PSNL stand for? 1mk
Type your answer here
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Noise monitoring & evaluation
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Leave blank for assessor feedback
21. What does a PSNL value provide? 1mk
Type your answer here
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22. What does the PSNL ‘equal’ (i.e. how is it determined)? 1mk
Type your answer here
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23. With regards to background levels, define and describe the difference between the ABL
and RBL. 6mk
Type your answer here
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24. Which background is used in intrusiveness assessments? 1mk
Type your answer here
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25. Identify two governments sections that can use the INP for noise criteria and briefly
explain the circumstances under which they would be used. 6mk
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
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Noise monitoring & evaluation
Study Module 6
26. What role does the environmental technician play in noise management? What could
the consequence be if their work was done poorly? 0mk
Type your answer here
Leave blank for assessor feedback
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Study Module 6
Assessment & submission rules
Answers
◗ Attempt all questions and tasks
◗ Write answers in the text-fields provided
Submission
◗ Use the documents ‘Save As…’ function to save the document to your computer using
the file name format of;
name-classcode-assessmentname
Note that class code and assessment code are on Page 1 of this document.
◗ email the document back to your teacher
Penalties
◗ If this assessment task is received greater than seven (7) days after the due date (located
on the cover page), it may not be considered for marking without justification.
Results
◗ Your submitted work will be returned to you within 3 weeks of submission by email fully
graded with feedback.
◗ You have the right to appeal your results within 3 weeks of receipt of the marked work.
Problems?
If you are having study related or technical problems with this document, make sure you
contact your assessor at the earliest convenience to get the problem resolved. The name of
your assessor is located on Page 1, and the contact details can be found at;
www.cffet.net/env/contacts
Resources & references
References
(NSW), E. P. (2000). NSW Industrial Noise Policy. Sydney: Environmental Protection Authority (NSW).
(NSW), R. &. (2001). Environmental Noise Management Manual. Sydney: Roads & Traffic Authority
(NSW).
Australia, S. (1997). AS 1055.1-3. Homebush: Standards Australia.
Australia, S. (2005). OCcupational Noise Management, Part 1: Measurement and Assessment of
Noise Immission and Exposure. Homebush: Standards Australia.
Australia, S. (2011). Methods for the sampling & analysis of ambient air: Part 14: Meteorological
monitoring for ambient air quality monitoring applications. Homebush: Standards Australia.
Bies, D. &. (2003). Engineering Noise Control, 3rd Ed. London: Spon Press.
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Noise monitoring & evaluation
Study Module 6
Kester, W. (2004). Analogue-Digital Conversion. United States: Analogue Devices.
Maltby. (2005). Occupational Audiometry: Monitoring & protecting hearing at work. London:
Elselvier.
NOHSC. (2000). National Standard for Occupational Noise [NOHSC: 1007(2000), 2nd Ed. Canberra:
Australian Government.
Organisation, W. H. (1995). Occupational Exposure to noise: Evaluation, prevention & control.
Geneva: WHO Publishing.
Rossing, T. (2007). Handbook of Acoustics. New York: Springer.
South, T. (2004). Managin Noise & Vibration at Work. London: Elselvier.
Workcover, N. (2004). Code of Practice: Noise Management & Protection of Hearing at Work.
Sydney: Workcover NSW.
Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2011. (n.d.).
Further reading and online aids
Nil
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