Noise complaints can stall a project faster than almost any technical issue. Our construction noise monitoring program places Class 1 sound level meters at the property line, continuously logging decibel levels against permit conditions.
By pairing real-time alerts with crystal-clear reporting, our noise monitoring services extend to demolition noise control plans when teardown work raises community concerns. Every dataset comes from an independent source your stakeholders can trust.
SSI also offers specialized underwater noise monitoring services designed to include:
Acoustic safety standards define sound as what we hear. Noise is an unwanted sound. The difference between noise and sound is subjective. For example, rock music can be a pleasing sound to one listener and an annoying noise to another. In either case, if the sound is loud and exposure is long and often enough, it can be hazardous to a person’s hearing.
Vibrating objects produce sound that reaches the listener’s ears as waves in the air or other media. When an object vibrates, it causes slight changes in air pressure. These air pressure changes travel as waves through the air and produce sound, making proactive noise and vibration monitoring essential.
The United States regulates occupational noise exposure through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Part 1910.95 – Occupational Noise Exposure), which says, “When information indicates that any employee’s exposure may equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer shall develop and implement a monitoring program.”
State and local ordinances or regulations limit noise levels transmitted to adjacent properties and exposures to nuisance levels that are well below safe exposure standards for hearing protection. Implementing environmental noise monitoring is critical, as nighttime limits are often significantly lower than daytime limits.
Occupational exposure limits and nuisance/compliance limits are typically in measurement units of A-weighted decibels (dB(A)) that measure noise levels in a frequency range that mimics the human ear (about 20-20,000 Hertz (Hz)). Singular impulsive noises, like those from the detonation of explosives, have a higher threshold limit. Our noise monitoring services measure these noises with a specialized microphone on a linear scale, typically in a frequency range of 2 to 200 Hz.
SSI uses A-weighted sound level microphones to measure noise levels transmitted to adjacent exposures from industrial processes or commercial uses. We offer both attended and unattended noise monitoring services. For attended studies, our qualified technical staff will place and monitor noise at designated points of interest and document noise-generating events.
For unattended studies, we will secure our automated noise monitoring equipment at locations of interest to wirelessly collect noise data at predetermined intervals. These systems automatically transmit data to our secure servers for distribution to project stakeholders, and they will send automated alerts (SMS or email) to stakeholders if noise levels exceed a pre-set threshold.
For long-term studies, Seismic Surveys offers web hosting of noise and vibration monitoring data.
Noise monitoring services are helpful in applications that include construction, mining, infrastructure, and marine projects, among others.
Vibration and noise monitoring for civil construction projects to document effects transmitted to nearby structures.
Vibration and noise monitoring for demolition, construction, and renovations in and around vibration-sensitive structures.
Vibration and noise monitoring to document effects on third-party structures, people, and marine life.
Traffic vibration monitoring to assess the structural health of bridges and roadways and identify structural changes.
Vibration and overpressure monitoring for mining to document compliance and protect nearby structures.
Vibration and Noise Monitoring capturing and documenting the effects of vibrations generated during demolition processes.
Visit our applications page to learn more about how clients use our services.
Noise and vibration monitoring is essential for maintaining compliance with project standards and minimizing unwarranted claims.
Contact us to set your project on a safe and successful path.
