Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton

Knowledge and understanding
On completion of the module, the student is expected to be able to:

• Outline various effects of human exposure to sound and vibration.
• Recognise factors affecting health and general well-being due to exposure to sound and vibration.
• Describe means of evaluating human responses to sound and vibration using the relevant regulations.
• Recognise means of minimising or preventing undesirable effects of sound and vibration

Cognitive (thinking) skills
Having successfully completed the module, the student is expected to be able to:

• Interpret the health and safety requirements on human exposures to sound and vibration.
• Analyse risks from exposure to noise and vibration
• Identify issues with respect to applicatios of the legal requirements

Practical, subject specific skills
Having successfully completed the module, the student is expected to have the practical skill to:

• Apply knowledge of risk and related regulations in the legal framework.
• Provide positive guidance to their employer or client (if working in a consultancy environment), whilst accruing further training and work experience under minimal supervision

  Key transferable skills
  Having successfully completed the module, the student will be better able to:
  

  • Undertake risk assessments based on technical knowledge and legal requirements.
  • Contribute confidently and appropriately to discussions on similar topics.

  Module Details

  Title: Human Effects and Legal Requirements
  Code: ISVR2008
  Year: Acoustical Engineering , Acoustics and Music Part 2
  Semester: Semester 2
  

  CATS points: 10 CATS points ECTS points: NaN
  Level: Undergraduate
  Co-ordinator(s): Professor Mark Lutman, Dr Ian Flindell, Dr Miyuki Morioka

  Pre-requisites and / or co-requisites

  Physical Acoustics (ISVR1002)

To provide a structured academic introduction to those main psycho-sociological, medical, legal and exposure (dose) factors which need to be taken into account when dealing with human reactions to noise and/or vibration in the workplace, transportation and environmental situations.

• To provide information on the effects of sound and vibration on people in the workplace, transport and other environmental situations.
• To identify factors affecting health and general well-being due to exposure to sound and vibration.
• To introduce regulations (National and International Standards, EU Directives, Planning Guidelines) related to human exposure to sound and vibration.
• To provide knowledge required to undertake the evaluation and assessment of situations associated with noise and vibration problems with respect to risk and relevant regulations.
• To identify applications within the general framework of planning for noise and vibration control
• To introduce the medico-legal issues related to exposures to sound and vibration.

1. Noise-induced Hearing Loss (MEL - 4 lectures)
Causes of hearing impairment, Audiometric measurements. Differential diagnosis. Noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing conservation programmes.
2. Regulations and Directives (MEL - 6 lectures)
Noise and the law. Noise at Work Regulations 1999. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Health and safety at work. Statutory compensation. Common Law rights. Expert witness for compensation claims. ISO and EN Standards. EU Directives.
3. Noise Annoyance (IHF - 6 lectures)
Concepts and criteria. Measurement and prediction. Aircraft, road traffic and train noise. Industrial and neighbourhood noise. Planning and noise.
4. Non-auditory Responses (IHF - 4 lectures)
Physiological and startle effects. General and mental health effects. Sleep disturbance. Task performance infra- and ultra-sound.
5. Human Responses to Vibration (MM - 4 lectures)
Effects of hand-transmitted vibration and whole-body vibration. Evaluation and assessment with respect to human response to vibration. Vibration standards. EU Directives.

12 double lectures

Secondary text

Planning and Noise PPG24 1994, Dept. of the Environment, HMSO
0117529249

Handbook of Human Vibration, 1990, M.J. Griffin, Academic Press
0123030404

Human Response to Vibration, 2005, N.J. Mansfield, CRC Press
0415282403

Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome, 2004, Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, Stationery Office
0 10 160982 5

Control of Vibration at Work Regs., 2005, UK Gov., Stationery Office

Control of Noise at Work Regs., 2005, UK Gov, Stationery Office

Occupational Deafness, 2002, Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, Stationery Office
0 10 156722 7

Controlling Noise at Work: the Control of Noise at Work Regulations, 2005: Guidance on regulations; document L108, 2nd edition, Health and Safety Exec., HSE Books
07176-6164-4

Environmental Health Criteria 12: Noise, 1980, Anon, WHO
92 4 154072 9

Community Noise, 1995, B. Berglund
T. Lindvall, Center for Sensory Research, Stockholm
91 887 8402 9

Guidelines for Community Noise, 1999, B. Bergulund et al, WHO
0415282403

The Effects of Noise on Man, 2nd ed., 1985, K.D. Kryter, Academic Press
0 12427460 9

The Handbook of Hearing and the Effects of Noise, 1995, K.D. Kryter, Academic Press
0 12427455 2

Noise Control: The Law and its Enforcement, 2002, C.P. Penn, Shaw & Sons
0 72190832 2