impact of noise

· Annoyance: It creates annoyance to the receptors due to sound level fluctuations. The periodic sound due to its irregular occurrences causes displeasure to hearing and causes annoyance.

· Physiological effects: The physiological features like breathing amplitude, blood pressure, heart-beat rate, pulse rate, blood cholesterol are effected.

· Loss of hearing: Long exposure to high sound levels cause loss of hearing. This is mostly unnoticed, but has an adverse impact on hearing function.

· Human performance: The working performance of workers/human will be affected as they ll be losing their concentration.

· Nervous system: It causes pain, ringing in the ears, feeling of tiredness, thereby effecting the functioning of human system.

· Sleeplessness: It affects the sleeping there by inducing the people to become restless and loose concentration and presence of mind during their activities

· Damage to material : The buildings and materials may get damaged by exposure to infrasonic / ultrasonic waves and even get collapsed.

Control of Noise Pollution

The techniques employed for noise control can be broadly classified as:

· Control at source

· Control in the transmission path

· Using protective equipment.

Noise Control at Source

The noise pollution can be controlled at the source of generation itself by employing

techniques like:

· Reducing the noise levels from domestic sectors: The domestic noise coming from radio, tape recorders, television sets, mixers, washing machines, cooking operations can be minimized by their selective and judicious operation. By usage of carpets or any absorbing material, the noise generated from felling of items in house can be minimized.

· Maintenance of automobiles: Regular servicing and tuning of vehicles will reduce the noise levels

. Fixing of silencers to automobiles, two wheelers etc., will reduce the noise levels.

· Control over vibrations: The vibrations of materials may be controlled using proper foundations, rubber padding etc. to reduce the noise levels caused by vibrations.

· Low voice speaking: Speaking at low voices enough for communication reduces the excess noise levels.

· Prohibition on usage of loud speakers: By not permitting the usage of loudspeakers in the habitant zones except for important meetings / functions . Now-a-days, the urban Administration of the metro cities in India, is becoming stringent on usage of loudspeakers.

· Selection of machinery: Optimum selection of machinery tools or equipment reduces excess noise levels. For example selection of chairs, or selection of certain machinery/equipment which generate less noise (Sound) due to its superior technology etc. is also an important factor in noise minimisation strategy.

· Maintenance of machines: Proper lubrication and maintenance of machines,vehicles etc. will reduce noise levels. For example, it is a common experience that, many parts of a vehicle will become loose while on a rugged path of journey. If these loose parts are not properly fitted, they will generate noise and cause annoyance to the driver/passenger.

Similarly is the case of machines. Proper handling and regular

maintenance is essential not only for noise control but also to improve the life of machine.