Posted by Thomas Wiseman on Mon, May 06, 2013 @ 04:32 PM
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The following are excerpts taken from an article titled: “Noise Reduction Within Your Practice: Meeting HIPAA Rules for Patient Privacy and Enhancing Healthcare Outcomes"
Written by Helen M. Torok, MD; Heather L. Funk, MBA; Aaron M. Funk, in the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology & Aesthitic Surgury’s journal called, Cosmetic Dermatology, issue August 2011, Vol. 24 No. 8
The full article can be read, downloaded and saved in PDF form at: http://www.cosderm.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=HckRo/HUFhE=
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Article Excerpts
Although much of HIPAA covers the safeguarding of electronic data and other patient records, one specific component addresses oral communication within the healthcare setting. Just after HIPAA privacy enforcement went into effect in 2003, Sykes and Miller(3) reported in Health Lawyers Weekly that a leading complaint from patients regarding direct care providers was concern about overheard conversations within the practice as a source of compromised privacy.
This finding came as a surprise to the reporters and others in the medical community, as the concern previously had not been recognized as a sore point. Since then, the medical profession has acknowledged the importance of this issue and has been working to develop ways to insure the privacy of conversations between patients and their health-care providers.
In many hospitals across the country, HUSH (Help Us Support Healing) campaigns have been initiated to improve patient care and overall satisfaction by implementing various noise-reduction measures.
Also contributing to excessive noise in today’s healthcare settings are the hard surfaces necessary to ensure cleanliness, as well as the advanced heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems that filter and deliver clean air to occupants. A recent Chicago Tribune article discussed studies that show the negative effects of noise on patient health in a medical setting, from stress and sleep deprivation to hypertension and tachycardia. The article also mentioned that current decibel levels in healthcare settings exceed the standards set by the World Health Organization.
Backup From Standards Organizations
The idea of a quieter work environment is not a new one, and there are a variety of technologies in place to deal with the problem as well as objective standards for proving that a medical practice or healthcare provider has done its best to comply with HIPAA.
Organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization, the American National Standards Institute, and ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) have provided ideas for noise reduction, and their support has been instrumental in winning medical privacy cases. These standards are applicable to a variety of industries and professions, including the fields of defense, finance, medical research, and law, and also are observed by the US General Services Administration, which manages federal building operations. It is possible to measure the noise levels of oral communication in the workplace according to government standards; best practices have been set and new tech-nologies have been developed to meet these standards. As of 2003, final modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule mandate that reasonable safeguards must be implemented to ensure speech privacy, and the HHS has clear expectations about what these safeguards entail.
According to HIPAA, the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange is named as the designated guide on technical matters for HHS and the Office for Civil Rights.(2) Today, healthcare centers and physician offices also are being designed with advice from entities such as the Healthcare Acoustics Research Team to assure compliance.
Products to Ensure Oral Privcy
A series of acoustical privacy products have undergone several levels of development and are installed in some 100 million square feet of new office space each year in healthcare, financial, and other office settings.(8) The utilization of panels and tiles are specific demonstrations, according to HIPAA, that indicate a healthcare facility or practice has made a bona fide effort to meet oral privacy needs.
Certain building materials can actually block sound waves from traveling through walls. To measure their effectiveness, these materials are assigned a Sound Transmission Class rating. Walls and windows, for instance, can be designed with this purpose in mind, but these noise-reduction products often are more expensive than traditional ones.
Another way to achieve sound diminution within your practice is to use surface materials that can absorb or deflect ambient sound waves, thus preventing reverberations from traveling around the room. This property is measured according to the Noise Reduction Coefficient, which rates how well a material absorbs sound.
Another measurement of noise-reduction technology is the Speech Intelligibility Index, which is calculated from acoustical measurements of speech and noise. Panels and other products can be designed to absorb certain frequencies of sound, meaning that although sound does get through, it is unintelligible and carries no meaning, which often has been called the “Charlie Brown effect” in reference to the popular Peanuts cartoons in which adult voices come across as unintelligible musical notes. Maintaining a low Speech Intelligibility Index is a proven way to achieve HIPAA compliance and can be easily achieved through various technologies in a medical practice.
Although active speech privacy systems such as white noise machines are popular, they do pose a few drawbacks; they mask meaningful conversation with perhaps even less-welcome noise rather than diminish sound levels altogether. Thus medical practitioners and patients may actually have to speak louder, increasing the likelihood that their conversations will be overheard, which is especially true in healthcare settings for older patients who already have compromised hearing and may rely on the use of hearing aids.
Adding noise to noise is adding pollution to pollution; in this sense, noise is the pollutant. It is similar to using a scented room refresher to mask noisome odors; it only adds to the overall smelliness of the room, and it can be harmful. A study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, showed that exposure to continuous white noise sabotages the development of the auditory region of the brain, which may ultimately impair hearing and language acquisition, at least in young rats.(10) Unlike passive devices such as sound-dampening panels, white noise machines require electricity and are not guaranteed reliability all the time.
Other Requirements for Sound Mitigation Products in Healthcare
Aside from the acoustic technology and speech privacy capabilities, other factors must be considered when selecting a sound-dampening product in a medical setting, including the product’s flammability rating and its ability to withstand the growth of germs, mold, and mildew. Some traditional sound panels, for instance, are wood framed with cotton inside. Obviously these materials are highly flammable and it is always essential to check a product’s fire rating. It is better to look for a product that is not as combustible; one particular panel on the market has a steel slag and basalt rock interior and is covered with a cloth that does not promote the growth of mold or mildew, meeting both flammability and antibiotic/antifungal standards. Uneven surfaces inside the panel cause the sound to get lost through deflection.
Today’s healthcare settings should put patients at ease while adding eye appeal. Look for sound-dampening panels and other products that offer a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors to customize the look and style to fit your specific needs. Panels can even be made into “sound clouds” for use on the ceiling. Some products on the market actually can be covered with messages you might wish to impart to patients, including advice about healthful living or introductions to new staff members.
Summary
It is imperative to make sure your dermatology practice or medical facility is compliant with HIPAA sound pri¬vacy mandates. Your staff also will benefit from working in a setting in which communication is made easier and less stressful.
Authors
All from Trillium Creek Dermatology and Aesthetic Center, Medina, Ohio. Dr. Torok also is from Northwestern Ohio University College of Medicine, Rootstown. The authors report no conflicts of interest in relation to this article.
Article References (and Additional Resources)
1. Standards for privacy of individually identifiable health informa¬tion; final rule. Fed Regist. 2002;67(157):53181-53273. To be codified at 45 CFR §160 and 164. http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/privacyrule/privruletxt.txt. Published August 14, 2002. Accessed June 23, 2011.
2. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 42 USC §201 (2003).
3. Sykes DM, Miller SA. HIPAA privacy enforcement begins. Health Lawyers Weekly. October 2003.
4. H.U.S.H. campaign for a healing environment. Penobscot Valley Hospital Web site. http://www.pvhme.org/pvh.nsf/View/Hush. Published March 1, 2010. Accessed June 27, 2011.
5. Nightingale F. Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not. New York, NY: D. Appleton and Company; 1860.
6. Deardorff J. Hospitals drowning in noise. Chicago Tribune. April 24, 2011. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-04-24/health/ct-met-hospital-noise-20110424_1_hospitals-neonatal-intensive-care-unit-noise. Accessed June 15, 2011.
7. Strategic National Implementation Process. Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange Web site. http://www.wedi.org/snip.Accessed July 8, 2011.
8. Sykes DM, Miller SA. Oral Communications: Myths and Facts [white paper]. Reston, VA: Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange; January 2004.
9. Health information privacy. US Department of Health and Human Services Web site. http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/faq/safeguards/197.html. Updated March 14, 2006. Accessed July 18, 2011.
10. White noise delays auditory organization in brain [news release]. ScienceDaily; April 18, 2003. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030418081607.htm. Accessed July 15, 2011. n
READ MORE: Related Information
About Dr. Helen M. Torok, MD
http://www.trilliumcreekohio.com/doctors/doctors.asp#Helen
HIPAA Act
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/
Cosmetic Dermatology
http://www.cosderm.com/
Trillium Creek Dermatology and Aesthetic Center, Medina, Ohio
http://www.trilliumcreekohio.com/
Soundproofing products
http://www.acoustiblok.com
Posted by Thomas Wiseman on Fri, May 03, 2013 @ 10:57 AM
Oral privacy breeches are embarrassing for patients and could be costly for healthcare providers in severe situations. Unfortunately, soundproofing is one of the last things that medical practices think about when it comes to office design. Is it cost? Is it that acoustics, soundproofing and noise issues have not been a priority in the past? Typically, healthcare providers are more concerned about the protection of electronically stored information than about protecting information transmitted orally. Soundproofing can be the missing element in most facilities towards creating total privacy that patients expect and deserve.
HIPAA Legislation
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly known as HIPAA, was enacted by the United States Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996. Title I of HIPAA protects health insurance coverage for workers and their families when they change or lose their jobs. Title II of HIPAA, known as the Administrative Simplification (AS) provisions, requires the establishment of national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans, and employers. Per the requirements of Title II, the HHS promulgated five rules regarding Administrative Simplification: the Privacy Rule, the Transactions and Code Sets Rule, the Security Rule, the Unique Identifiers Rule, and the Enforcement Rule.
Privacy Rule
The Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (“Privacy Rule”) established, for the first time, a set of national standards for the protection of certain health information. The regulation increased consumer control over the use and disclosure of their medical information. It also established appropriate safeguards that must be followed to protect the privacy of patients' health information.
The Privacy Rule regulates the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) held by "covered entities." These entities are generally health care clearinghouses, employer sponsored health plans, health insurers, and medical service providers that engage in certain transactions.
Everyone now has a right to oral privacy with concern to his or her PHI. The Office of Civil Rights accepts complaints for alleged violations of the HIPAA privacy rule by covered entities. A fact sheet is available at the OCR website at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacyhowtofile.htm. Violations are expensive. Penalties for non-compliance can cost providers up to $250,000 and up to 10 years in prison.
While oral privacy is only one part of the exhaustive HIPAA regulation, it is also one of the more subjective areas in terms of interpretation. The Privacy Rule requires physicians to use appropriate administrative, technical, and security safeguards to protect the privacy of protected health information — including oral communications. But what safeguarding measures are and aren’t enough?
While the Privacy Rule does “not” require structural changes be made to facilities, it does require that that they make reasonable efforts to prevent prohibited uses and disclosures not permitted by the Rule. The Department does not consider facility restructuring to be a requirement under this standard. The Privacy Rule does not require the following types of structural or systems changes:
• Private rooms
• Soundproofing of rooms
• Encryption of wireless or other emergency medical radio communications which can be intercepted by scanners
• Encryption of telephone systems.
In the absence of stringent guidelines for safeguarding PHI, the HHS Department has indicated that it will look at what other “prudent” professionals are doing to protect oral privacy when determining whether a covered entity has taken adequate measures to avoid having conversations overheard
In a democracy, the objective of laws is to serve the best interests of the people and reflect their highest aspirations. Contained within the “letter of the law” is the purpose or intent, which is termed the "spirit of the law." For any given law, the spirit of the law is the hope for change, or benefit, that the law will produce, as predicted by the designers of the law. In other words, laws are tools that are intended to be useful and beneficial. Since the spirit of the law is the reason for its existence, many believe the letter of the law is subordinate to the problem-solving intent of the law and covered entities should go above and beyond to meet the spirit of the law. When it comes to HIPAA oral privacy, installing soundproofing to ensure patients get total privacy meets the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law. It enables covered entities to meet the intent of the law. It's just the right thing to do for patients and could also keep a practice our of legal complexities and help prevent fines.
Evaluating Your Medical Facility’s Oral Privacy Issues
Your own ear is the best testing and measurement instrument available. If you can overhear any conversations that are meant to be private in any area you will need to provide reasonable safeguards to protect against incidental disclosure.
You don't need to be a sound engineer to evaluate if you have a problem with oral privacy in your facility. A simple audit and walk-through of any facility will indicate whether there is a problem or not. If you’re unsure whether noise is a problem in your practice, it’s easy to evaluate – simply spend a few moments in your exam rooms, your waiting room/reception area and your staff break room and focus on what you’re hearing including where the noise is originating and the intensity/volume of the noise. You may also want to consultant an acoustic specialist – a professional who assesses environments for noise and provides guidance to soundproof your space.
In regard to industry-accepted measurements for oral privacy, industry standards for speech (oral) privacy, three recognized standards are used for the measurement of the intelligibility of sound (conversations):
• ISO (International Standards Organization)
• ASTM (American National Standards Institute)
• ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials)
These standards and principles are used by sound engineers to measure and evaluate relative sound levels. The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) has existed for decades. ASTM has been providing quantifiable practices, tools, and measurements to assess speech privacy levels. For years, speech privacy professionals have used ASTM standards to establish acceptable and unacceptable levels of normal and confidential speech privacy for business and health care facilities alike.
ASTM measures speech privacy by using an articulation index (AI). AI represents how all elements in and properties of a space affect the ability to understand speech. AI is expressed as a decimal value between 0 (speech is unintelligible) and 1.00 (speech is completely intelligible). An AI of .20 or less will result in a space that provides normal to confidential speech privacy.
It is important to understand that a conversation is considered private if it is an unintelligible conversation (one that cannot be discernible) to a nonparticipant. This type of conversation will not jeopardize the oral privacy rights of an individual.
Sound
In many doctor’s offices across the country, conversations can be heard through the walls of patient rooms. Sound travels not only in a straight path from its source but also bounces off partitions, bends around barriers, and squeezes through small openings, all of which can allow noise to reach surprisingly far beyond its point of origin.
Sound radiates spherically. Even if the sound source is facing one direction, the sound it produces will travel in all directions. Sound will move from one room to another through direct and indirect paths. It is important to understand that while sound can travel through air pockets like ductwork, stud and ceiling joist cavities, it can also be conducted along studs, joists, pipes, concrete and glass. Sound vibration uses a rigid surface to travel.
When sound strikes any surface, some sound energy is reflected, some absorbed, and some transmitted into the adjacent space. The sound that we hear in typical rooms is made up of two parts: Direct sound, the sound that arrives at our ears directly from the sound source; reflected sound, the sound that has reflected from a room boundary surface.
Sound is measured in decibels in intervals of 10. A typical conversation occurs at approximately 60-70 decibels. Sound transmission through a wall or floor depends primarily on the mass of the construction. The following are some sound transmission losses of typical building elements:
Soundproofing
Soundproofing isn't a cure-all to saving healthcare facilities from penalties resulting from oral privacy breeches, but it may be one of the most beneficial places to start. Soundproofing will not control when and where patient information is discussed. It will however, significantly mitigate the sound through absorption, damping, or blocking. Given that many healthcare facilities are in older, uninsulated buildings, adding soundproofing will go a long way toward ensuring better patient privacy.
Soundproofing can be achieved in a variety of ways, and there are solutions for every budget. The challenge is when and how to soundproof. It’s always easier to soundproof an office when starting from a blank slate rather than retrofitting an existing space. So if you’re moving into a new space you’ll want to make sure you’re working with your design firm to come up with a layout that prevents sound from traveling and materials that mitigate noise. It’s also possible to install certain types of soundproofing materials in an existing building.
Depending on the purpose of a building or room, primary acoustical requirements could include sound control between spaces, sound control within a space, or listening efficiency in meeting rooms and auditoriums. Just as technical challenges can vary widely from space to space, so, too, do the choices of materials and design details that can meet them. Thoroughly exploring these options requires time and effort.
So what types of modern acoustical soundproofing materials are available to help keep conversations within a room or area in a medical facility? Here are just some:
• Acoustic ceiling panels or ceiling tiles.
• Sound absorbing wall cover - simple do-it-yourself noise deadening solution
• Acoustical sound barriers that deflect or absorb sound.
• Acoustic insulation (like QuietFiber) placed in between wall joints behind drywall
• Viscoelastic sound absorbing polymer materials (like Acoustiblok) behind drywall
• Acoustic cloud systems – sound panels that are placed overhead in an area.
• Sound masking - the addition of natural or artificial sound (such as white noise or pink noise) into an environment to cover up unwanted sound by using auditory masking.
• Acoustical sound sealants
In the Spirit of the Law
Think about how many patient-related conversations which occur every day in hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, pharmacies, or other health care providing organizations over the course of a day, week, month and over a full year. The number of possible oral privacy violations could be high. Unless healthcare providers implement a reasonable solution that creates a safeguard for these conversations, healthcare providers are at the mercy of every patient who chooses to complain.
Unless the HIPAA law is amended, using soundproofing materials isn’t required in the letter of the law, but it falls well within the spirit of the law. While it's great that confidential information is safely locked away in their computer system, if you can hear patients and staff talking about their medical conditions and concerns in the next room, how confidential can patient information really be?
Although HIPAA creates a right to privacy, it doesn't create the right for private persons to sue if they feel their privacy has been compromised, creating little incentive for healthcare providers to soundproof their buildings. However, patients do file complaints, which could lead to fines and a requirement that the provider correct their procedures to prevent future privacy issues. For some health care providers, this is starting to become incentive enough for healthcare providers to consider soundproof their buildings and rooms.
READ MORE: Related Information
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/
http://www.hhs.gov/hipaafaq/administrative/197.html
Posted by Thomas Wiseman on Thu, Apr 18, 2013 @ 12:30 PM
Using sound absorbing viscoelastic polymer material on the inside walls of generator enclosures and surrounding your noisy generator with an acoustical soundproofing barrier will significantly quiet noise to legally acceptable and comfortable levels. Most generators are noisy and operate above acceptable community noise levels without soundproofing. They can disturb neighbors and passers-by and can disrupt normal activities going on in nearby homes and inside your business if not controlled.
Most cities and communities now have noise/nuisance ordinances and are increasingly levying fines upwards of $500 per offense if your generator is louder than 65/55 (daytime/nightime) decibels when measured "at the property boundary." In many areas, second offenses can range from $500 - $1,000 "per day" as every day counts as a separate violation. If you have a noisy generator at your home or business, the risk of getting these unpredictable fines outweighs the cost and time of installing proper sound abatement systems.
Normal everyday conversation generally occurs at approximately 60 decibels on a sound meter which is significantly less than the sound decibel levels that many generators put out. This can make even every day conversation more difficult if you are around a noisy generator. High levels of noise are also known to negatively impact productivity, moods and anxiety levels.
Reciprocating engine-powered generators, used to make electricity on a temporary basis, produce a good deal of noise and vibration. During a temporary loss of electrical power, generators help keep essential home appliances running, keep businesses operational, and provide electricity in places like the outdoors and in recreational vehicles.
Whether these generators run continuously as part of a primary power source or occasionally in standby circumstances during emergencies or special needs situations, their noise levels usually need to be reduced to comply with local, state and federal noise or nuisance laws and ordinances in place to address noises described as "excessive, unreasonable, or repetitive in terms of volume so as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort, and be offensive to the reasonable person of normal auditory sensitivity residing in or occupying a residential area."
Basic Types of Generators
Typical Residential and Non-Residential Sounds Levels in Many Communities
In many communities in North America, Europe and even other parts of the world, themaximum allowable sound levels, “measured at the nearest receiving property line,” within a similar range of the following:
Residential receiving properties (mixed-use zones are considered residential)
• 65 dBA during daytime hours for
• 55 dBA during nighttime hours
Nonresidential receiving property
• 67 dBA during daytime hours
• 62 dBA during nighttime hours
Click here to read specifics about a common noise ordinance:
http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/
dectmpl.asp?url=/Content/dep/community/noisemd.asp
Sources of generator set noise
An engine-generator is the combination of an electrical generator and an engine mounted together to form a single piece of equipment. This combination is also called an engine-generator set or a “gen-set.” In many contexts, the engine is taken for granted and the combined unit is simply called a generator.
Like any motor, a generator motor creates a lot of heat and needs a cooling system to prevent overheating. Standby generators can be either air-cooled or liquid-cooled. The major difference is that air-cooled systems are louder and not quite as effective. Liquid cooled systems are quieter and more dependable – and also more expensive to purchase and to maintain.
The decibel (often listed as dba) rating on a generator, is a number that is given that explains the noise level generated by the engine running. Some noisy generators can reach sound levels ranging from 80-100-plus decibels, which at 100 plus decibels translates to the noise of a jack hammer at 10 meters (32.8 feet); 110 decibels is the noise equivalent of a plane taking off at a 10 meters; 115 decibels translates to a jet’s screeching whistle at 10 meters, and is also the threshold of noise-induced pain. Sustained noise levels above this can cause hearing damage in short a short amount of time. Sustained noise at 100 dB can cause long term health problems. A higher quality and less noisy generator is going to be in the 70’s decibel rating while a really good generator will be in the 60’s decibels range.
According to a Cummings White Paper by Senior Acoustics Specialist Dennis Aaberg, generator set (residential and commercial generators) noise is produced by six major sources:
• Engine noise – This is mainly caused by mechanical and combustion forces and typically ranges from 100 dB(A) to 121 dB(A), measured at one meter, depending on the size of the engine.
• Cooling fan noise – This results from the sound of air being moved at high speed across the engine and through the radiator. Its level ranges from 100 dB(A) to 105 (A) dB at one meter.
• Alternator noise – This is caused by cooling air and brush friction and ranges from approximately 80 dB(A) to 90 dB(A) at one meter.
• Induction noise – This is caused by fluctuations in current in the alternator windings that give rise to mechanical noise that ranges from 80 dB(A) to 90 dB(A) at one meter.
• Engine exhaust – Without an exhaust silencer, this ranges from 120 dB(A) to 130 dB(A) or more and is usually reduced by a minimum of 15 dB(A) with a standard silencer.
• Structural/mechanical noise – This is caused by mechanical vibration of various structural parts and components that is radiated as sound.
Noise from “portable” generators comes primarily from two sources, the engine block and the exhaust system. With an air cooled engine there is little you can do about blocking noise. Some engines can have a larger muffler attached or make other changes to the exhaust system. Merely mounting exhaust pipe vertically will noticeably reduce noise.
Reducing Noise “Inside” the Generator Enclosure
With the growth of standby, prime and peaking power installations in densely populated areas, it’s become important to focus attention on understanding how generator noise is propagated and controlled.
Typically, there are two main methods for controlling the airborne noise in a power generator:
• Blocking airborne noise via a weighted barrier
• Absorbing airborne noise via acoustical absorbing insulation.
Aaberg’s white paper expands on this claim. It recommends that standby generator enclosures incorporate the following types of materials for best results and often with cost and performance improvements as compared to more traditional solutions:
• Flexible non-lead barriers (like Acoustiblok) in weights ranging from 1/4" lbs./ft2 to 2 lbs./ft2
• Faced acoustical foams in thicknesses ranging from 1/4" to 2" and with numerous facings, including reflective and reinforced facings
• Decoupled barrier composites and barrier/absorber composites in a range of barrier weights, decoupler thicknesses and absorption layer thicknesses faced with numerous films
• Damping composites comprising a damping layer to manage structureborne vibration
• Combined with acoustical foam layers to absorb airborne noise.
Significant noise control can be achieved by lining the generator’s sheet metal enclosure with a weighted barrier, or a decoupled weighted barrier (composite of barrier over decoupling foam) to help block noise. Ideally, at least 90 percent of the enclosure should be lined. For optimal effect the enclosure openings must be minimized.
Absorption reduces airborne noise due to mechanical sound energy by converting it into low grade heat energy. As air is pushed into the absorbing material by the sound pressure wave, viscous forces dissipate the mechanical sound energy as heat.
Most power generation equipment requires several openings in the metal enclosure – for air intake, exhaust and heat release. These openings are generally detrimental to the performance of barriers and decoupled barriers as they can allow noise to escape unhindered. By incorporating acoustical absorbers as a lining for louvers or by creating a path for airflow, noise can be absorbed before it escapes the enclosure.
In recent years, a wide range of elastomer innovations, like Acoustiblok, have been created that can be utilized in designing next generation gen-set enclosures. These materials must meet multiple design objectives including noise frequencies, operating temperature range and operating environment including thermal management, contaminant resistance and maintenance considerations.
Reducing Noise “Outside” the Generator
In a residential setting, the simplest type of noise control for generators or other gas or propane-powered engines is a noise barrier placed around it. Outdoor sound curtains or sound curtain noise barrier walls are an effective method of reducing noise generated by equipment, pumps, generators or other processes that are outside and are exposed to the elements.
It is important to take into account the source height of the generator, which can be fairly high, and to consider the height of the receiver if the impacted site has multiple floors.To be effective, a barrier wall must at least block the line-of-sight from the source to the receiver.
Sound barriers will make a substantial difference in the noise exposure levels from generators if the proper materials are used. They can reduce the sound by about 12-15 decibels, which is significant because a 10 decibel decrease in sound results in half the sound heard to the human ear. The more distance between the generator and your house or building, the better. Not all materials will work. It is important to do your research.
There are other soundproofing product solutions such as sound panels. Some soundproofing companies, like Acoustiblok, Inc. manufacture all-weather sound panels that are different from other conventional acoustical sound panels. In addition to being able to stand up to the most extreme environments, they not only absorb virtually all sound but they also contain a layer of noise absorbing viscoelastic material which provides exceptional noise blockage.
The sound absorbency of the panels brings down substantially the acoustical energy around the generator and by eliminating all sound reflections in the area, while the viscoelastic material in the panel allows it to also be an excellent sound barrier.
With increasing focus on noise in our communities, it's important to take a proactive approach to solving your generator noise issues by using lab tested and proven acoustical soundproofing materials.
READ MORE: Related Information
Acoustiblok quiets generators and noisy motors
http://info.acoustiblok.com/press-center-content/?Tag=generator+noise
United States Noise Pollution and Abatement Act (Noise Control Act)
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-noise-control-act.htm
Soundproofing products
Acoustiblok Products
Posted by Thomas Wiseman on Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @ 11:54 AM
Jet noise can be a serious serious long-term health concern if you are exposed to continuous high levels of it. If you live close to an airport or live directly under the path of high decibel sound jets, it's important to take steps to reduce the noise entering your home, office, or church.
Airports work closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airlines and the local communities to monitor existing noise programs and develop new ways of reducing airport and aircraft noise. They generally focus on two areas: sound insulation programs and noise abatement programs. A homeowner must qualify for these programs in order to receive soundproofing support.
Many large airports have sound insulation programs are designed to reduce airport noise that people hear in their homes and in the classroom.
Soundproofing materials are available to help people living near airports who are exposed to certain levels of jet enginer noise. Lining your walls, ceilings and floors with sound absorbing material such as Acoustiblok, can lessen the jet engine noise entering your structure.
Germany's Federal Environment Agency Study Shows Airport Noise Increases Risk of Strokes
The following contains excerpts from an article written by Tristana Moore on Dec. 15, 2009 that was posted on a Time website pertaining to a Climate Change Conference.
According to the unpublished study, commissioned by Germany's Federal Environment Agency, living under a flight path can seriously damage your health. German researchers have discovered that people who are exposed to jet noise have a substantially increased risk of stroke, high blood pressure and heart disease. The findings are bound to provide further ammunition to anti-airport campaigners and make uncomfortable reading for world leaders at this week's climate summit in Copenhagen.
The study shows that men who are exposed to jet noise have a 69% higher risk of being hospitalized for cardiovascular disease. Women living under flight paths fare even worse, logging a 93% higher rate of hospitalization with cardiovascular problems, compared with their counterparts in quiet residential areas. The study found that women who are exposed to jet noise (of about 60 decibels) during the day are 172% more likely to suffer a stroke.
The report is based on the analysis of data from public health insurers that were drawn from more than 1 million Germans ages 40 and over who live near Cologne-Bonn Airport in western Germany. "These figures are worrying. It's quite clear that living near an airport is very dangerous for your health," says Eberhard Greiser, an emeritus professor of epidemiology at Bremen University. "Jet noise is more dangerous than any other kind of road-traffic noise or rail noise because it is especially acute and sharp and it induces stress hormones."
People living close to Cologne-Bonn Airport also tended to suffer from psychological illnesses. "There was a higher incidence of depression among women who live near the airport," says Jens Ortscheid of the Federal Environment Agency. "This report should come as a warning signal to all governments and authorities that are planning to expand airports — there are serious health effects which need to be considered." Ortscheid says the report is in line with previous studies on the health effects of jet noise.
In a separate study commissioned by the local Bonn authorities, Greiser discovered that women near Cologne-Bonn Airport had an increased risk of developing breast cancer and leukemia. His research found that women who are exposed to 60 decibels of jet noise at night are twice as likely to contract breast cancer. "It seems women are more sensitive to jet noise than men, but I would advise everyone to think twice about living near an airport because it's not just aircraft noise which can be deadly; aircraft emissions are also dangerous," says Greiser.
Greiser is convinced his report provides unequivocal evidence of the health risks associated with jet noise. "When it comes to expanding airports, governments and the courts all over the world will have to weigh the benefits of commercial interests against the danger to public health," he says. "How many additional diseases is society prepared to accept?"
Another Study of German Children Living Near Airports Shows Jet Aircraft Noise Impairs Long-Term Memory And Reading Ability
In a story on ScienceDaily.com, excessive noise, such as jet aircraft flying overhead, impairs children's reading ability and long-term memory, a Cornell University environmental psychologist and his European colleagues conclude in a study of schoolchildren living near airports. "This is the first long-term study of the same children before and after airports near them opened and closed. It nails down that it is almost certain that noise is causing the differences in children's ability to learn to read," says Gary Evans, an international expert on environmental stress, such as noise, crowding and air pollution. The good news, says Evans, is that some of the reading and memory problems caused by jet noise is reversible in a quieter environment.
The study was supported, in part, by the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Nordic Scientific Group for Noise Effects, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the German Research Foundation and the National Swedish Institute for Building Research. Other authors are Staffan Hygge of the Royal Institute of Technology, Gävle, Sweden, and Monika Bullinger of the University of Hamburg, Germany.
The researchers analyzed data on 326 children (average age, 10) living near two sites in Munich: near the old airport, which was scheduled to close, and near the new airport site. The children were assessed three times: six months before the old airport closed and the new one opened, and one year and two years after the airport opening.
"Noise exposure is consistently linked to reading deficits and may interfere with speech perception and long-term memory in primary school children," says Evans. "But it wasn't until we had this unprecedented opportunity to study children near the simultaneous opening and closing of the new and former Munich airports that we could actually find stronger evidence for a causal relation."
Evans, who has been studying the effects of noise for several years, says the latest study is further evidence that exposure to chronic noise can have serious health, learning and motivational effects in children and adults.
The full article can be read at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/10/021008065059.htm
Posted by Thomas Wiseman on Mon, Mar 11, 2013 @ 03:25 PM
Adding soundproofing materials to walls, ceilings and/or flooring of your home theater or entertainment room will give your family and neighbors a better quality of life void of stress and anxiety caused by loud noise from movies, video games and television shows. Sound from home theater audio system speakers can exceed 100 decibels and higher. Without adequate soundproofing materials to absorb and mitigate it, the noise will travel through your wall, ceiling and floor joints and into the rest of the home.
Commercial cinemas give you a great acoustical experience that makes you feel like you are part of the movie. Commercial cinema-like sound is a key ingredient to any home theater or home entertainment room. It helps create a more memorable and pleasurable entertainment experience while watching high-speed car chases, fiery high-decibel explosions, and sweat-soaked vixens with machine guns.
Soundproofing In Your Home Provides a Higher Quality of Life
Sound travels in low-frequency waves. These waves radiate from the source of the sound in all directions. If the waves are met with resistance, they will redirect and dissipate. Because sound travels through walls, ceilings, floors and other surfaces as well as air, you will hear sound in virtually any environment.
Soundproofing is a difficult process. The only way to stop sound is to either reduce it or absorb it. Noise reduction works by blocking the passage of sound waves through either the use of distance or the placing or intervening objects in the sound path. On the other hand, noise absorption operates by transforming the sound wave itself. The wave changes when it comes into contact with certain materials.
For your home theater, you need to be aware of the amount of sound leaking from the room. Even though your home theater is smaller than a commercial movie theater, it should provide a good acoustical experience. Outside noises coming into the theater room need to be minimized and noise generated by your sound system needs to be kept inside your home theater walls so it does not disturb others inside and outside your walls.
If you are considering building a new home theater or home entertainment room, you may want to make sure soundproofing materials, like Acoustiblok, are in your construction tool box. Here’s why.
Soundproofing materials:
• Not only add essential mass to walls, ceilings or floors, but they also enhance the flexibility and stiffness while changing the natural resonance of the structure
• Drastically reduce sound transmission through your walls, ceilings and floors
• Keep high decibel noise in the theater room
• Allow people in your home to enjoy the home theater room or entertainment room any time of the day or night without disturbing others.
Various other building materials are available to help keep noise from escaping your home theater room and provide better quality acoustics such as sound panels, sound drapes, acoustic insulation, foam, carpeting or acoustic sound-deadening drywall.
Theater Room Acoustics and Intelligibility
Go to any movie theater and you will notice acoustic treatment covering a large percentage of the walls. Chairs are soft and well padded. The whole room has been carefully crafted to work as a single system.
In commercial movie theaters, acoustics plays a critical role in making sure that everyone can clearly hear the movie dialogue, no matter where they are seated. By eliminating near-wall reflections, those seated at the perimeter of the theater are not fighting to detect the sound from the speakers versus the sound reflecting off the walls. The padded seats are carefully designed to not only be comfortable, but also help control bass when not in use.
When a theater is properly treated acoustically, it improves our ability to comprehend what is being said and what noises are being heard. This is known as ‘intelligibility.’ The speech intelligibility in a room depends on the reverberation time and the background noise. If a room has a long reverberation time, spoken words will not die out before the next words reach the listener. This results in poor speech intelligibility. It will be difficult for the listener to understand what is said. However, if the sound is absorbed by acoustical soundproofing materials, it results in a short reverberation time. This provides a good acoustic environment and a high level of speech intelligibility.
Standard drywall construction has what acousticians call a sound transmission class (STC) rating of 40 decibels; the higher the number, the better the material is at blocking sound. 
When you crank up your audio system to experience Johnny playing Guitar Hero at concert volumes, it’s easy to hit a very loud peak sound-pressure level of 110 decibels. A sound transmission class (STC) of 40 means a person on the other side of the wall will definitely hear Johnny jamming, and if you were to measure the volume with a sound meter, it would register about 70 decibels, which is loud enough to be bothersome.
Psychological Impacts of Noise on Our Family and Neighbors
One of the biggest culprits of home noise originates from home theaters that have poor acoustical features. According to Psychology Today website, noise is a stimulus, and when we have little control over the source, we often experience more stress and anxiety. Your anxiety may have several causes. First, you may have a “control” reaction, in which you are keenly aware of not being able to stop or alter a sound. Second, you may experience sound more sensitively than the average person. For those who notice sounds and get absorbed by it, the intrusion can become an interruption and a distraction from a productive task, including relaxation and sleep.
If you are a highly sensitive person in general, noise can be a powerful trigger to getting upset. Controlling our environment is a task humans are very good at, but in a modern world where noises are a part of the landscape, our control is limited. You can help control noise from your home theater or home entertainment room by using proper soundproofing materials.
Posted by Thomas Wiseman on Fri, Feb 22, 2013 @ 02:41 PM
Church noise, like many other types of outdoor noise pollution, is increasingly becoming a public nuisance for people living close to churches and other religious places of worship. Cities and villages in urban areas especially are seeing a rise in church noise and nuisance law complaints that they say are in violation of the noise ordinances often referred to as nuisance laws.
These days, churches and places of worship are trying to do bigger and better things to attract and keep members. Many have scaled up the music experience for churchgoers by 
forming full fledged church bands and orchestras that practice regularly at the church. They
use loud musical instruments such as drums, organs, pianos, electronic keyboards, guitars, electric guitars, drums, or other accompaniments that are heightened with electric amplifiers and loud speakers.
Churches and places of worship are also getting larger and larger and some are packed with thousands of people during weekend services. After four years of holding services in its 2,100-seat interim worship center, Dallas, Texas' Watermark Community Church moved its congregation into a beautiful new 3,500-seat main sanctuary (shown above).
When Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo, a.k.a the Bloody Beetroots, produced the song “Welcome to the Church of Noise” in 2011, he may not have meant for his lyrics to be taken so literally as many people living nearby churches are today. “She goes places I won't go. She knows things that I don't know. Welcome to the church of noise. Welcome to the church of noise,” the song says.
Church Noise Issues are Increasingly in the News
In Columbia, South Carolina, according to a Channel 7 WSPA.com article dated December 11, 2012 titled,” Midlands Church Fined After Noise Complaint,” Midlands Church had to pay hundreds of dollars in fines after being accused of being too loud. Neighbors of Columbia’s Rehoboth United Assemblies, Inc. say they can hear the music during the church’s services. They took the issue to court when the issue wasn’t resolved. A judge found the church in violation of the city’s noise ordinance, which comes with a $740 fine.
One neighbor said they wouldn’t be able to have a party and play loud music during the church’s service, so they don’t think the church should be able to be “loud and obnoxious” while the community is trying to sleep or have quiet time in their homes.
The article went on to say that church leaders are upset. “I feel as if I was disrespected,” explains Apostle Johnnie Clark. I also feel frustrated because what they’re calling loud noise is our form of worship.”
In Morton, Illinois, according to an article by Steve Stein of the Morton Journal Star on November 5, 2012, neighbors said police have been called 55 times in 16 months because of noise complaints. No tickets have been issued. They criticized church officials for their lack of cooperation and respect for neighbors. They said adults and children have been awakened in the morning by noise coming from the church and complained the music disturbed outdoor family gatherings. In Morton, noises that are "unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary" are banned in the revised ordinance. And the noises must unreasonably disturb, injure, or endanger the "comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of reasonable persons of ordinary sensitivity."
There’s Even Noise Lawsuites
In Durham, North Carolina, in an article dated January 13, 2013 on ABC13.com, nine families living in The Hills at Southpoint subdivision filed a lawsuit against the NewHope Church who refused to run down the music after they talked to the church about it. The neighbors said the church performances and practice sessions at the church are “akin to rock concerts.”
Police cited the church under Durham’s noise ordinance for sound considered “unreasonable and disturbing.” The church claims it’s tried to work with its neighbors by soundproofing walls, lowering sound levels and changing worship times. These changes were apparently not enough for neighbors who live near the church. They claim the church leaders have been hostile to their complaints and continue to pump out music levels that invade their homes – affecting their ability to sleep and enjoy their neighborhood. They are seeking a restraining order against the church and punitive damages.
While performing a Google search on the words “church noise complaints,” it resulted in 8,330,000 related results. Case after case could be cited in this blog article about the spreading tide of church noise, but we think you get the picture of what is going on in many cities and neighborhoods.
Internet Complaints
Some people have taken to the world wide web to make complaints against particular churches.
Here's a church noise related post from an irritated neighbor on a website called, Ask Meta Filter.com:
"We live right across the street from a very loud church in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco. At first we thought it was kind of nice being near a place of worship, but now we're kind of fed up. There are very loud services with singing and all sorts of instruments that are probably amplified, as well as random drumming practices. It goes on for hours (they've been playing for at least 4 hours just today), and it's on weekdays and weekends. The services seem to be kind of irregular; it's not like we know it's going to be bad 6-8pm every Wednesday. I work from home, and it's nice to work in cafes, but I hate the feeling like I can't enjoy my own home. Plus, not being able to relax in our living room on Sunday evenings can be kind of a bummer.
What is the best way to approach this? We called in a noise complaint once - it was 10pm on a Sunday and they had been going at it for 3 hours (plus they had a van idling outside for 40 minutes). But, the cops weren't that helpful - they said they weren't going to disrupt the church service (but that's when it's noisy!) and they were trying to stay on good terms with the churches. It's also a gentrifying neighborhood, which may make things more complicated..."
Church Noise Decibel Levels
Typically, it is up to the church to decide what decibel level to play their music. Reach Communications Systems Engineer Marc C. Brown wrote a technical white paper report titled, “Measuring Acoustic Decibel Levels in Worship Services with Economical EPL Meters.” He recommends louder and more energetic worship service range from 95-100 decibels, a more sustained energetic worship service range from 90-95 decibels and formal music levels for a few minutes of about 80-90 decibels. In comparison, decibel levels at a rock concert can range from 120-140 decibels and sometimes higher. So church music noise can be substantial.
The term decibel is used for a wide variety of measurements in science and engineering, most prominently in acoustics and electronics. The decibel (sometimes shown as dB) is a logarithmic unit. You cannot add and subtract decibels like ordinary numbers. An increase of 3 decibels is a doubling of the "strength" of the sound. An increase of 10 decibels means the sound is 10 times as loud. For example, 70 decibels is 10 times as loud as 60 decibels. Sounds above 90 decibels of loudness or strength of sound vibration, may cause vibrations intense enough to damage the inner ear, especially if the sound continues for a long time.
The following are some typical decibel level comparisons of musical instruments sometimes used in modern day church music:
The Right Soundproofing Measures Will Work
More complex architectural designs commonly found in churches and places of worship normally require a systematic approach to soundproofing and acoustics. There are many acoustical soundproofing products available in the market today that can reduce church noise in the design stage and in existing buildings. In any sound reduction application, the entire interior surface area should be treated to be completely effective.
The voice of the church leader, the devotional music and instruments, and the collective fellowship and noise of hundreds of people contained within a place of worship all produce sound waves. Sound waves are like any form of energy. They will follow the course of least resistance to escape when they can. Noise and sound will infringe into the lives of your neighbors if it is not blocked, absorbed or deflected. Noise containment in churches and other places of worship requires attention to floors, walls and ceilings.
Ideally, soundproofing products should be specified into the design of a new church (see photograph above), however you can also add soundproofing materials to an existing church structure.
The benefits include:
· Reduction in overall levels of church noise
· Reduction in level of high decibel music noise that often escapes outside the church walls
· Improvement in the quality of sound for listeners in the church
· Reduction in background noise levels inside the church. The congregation can hear the messages clearer.
· A decrease in echoes provides higher quality sound when talking or having conversations
· Reduction in noise complaints by nearby neighbors.
Complaints, unhappy neighbors, law suites and legal fees, citations for nuisance issues, and a lack of peace of mind...these are not things that are typically associated with churches. Perhaps you may hear some new terminology thrown into your church leader's standard vernacular: “Stand up and sing your praises mildly between 60-70 decibels. Or perhaps, dear God, give us strength and possibly even a sound level meter to help in our efforts of keeping the peace with thy neighbors and avoid violating and receiving citations for local nuisance ordinance 32.786.654.”
Posted by Thomas Wiseman on Fri, Feb 08, 2013 @ 04:02 PM
Picklers can now be found in most states across America. Picklers have even made their way across the border to Canada, Singapore, and India. Pickler fever, like Bieber fever, has gone viral and mainstream. So don’t be offended if someone asks you to “get your pickle on” sometime because if you haven’t heard about the sport of pickleball by now, you probably will soon. The sport has officially arrived in the United States and may be coming to a neighborhood near you.
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sporting craves in America and has even begun to spread overseas. While pickleball is an inter-generational sport for players ranging in age from 6 to 70-plus, it’s the 55-plus year-old demographic that is driving the recent fast-rising popularity of the sport.
Some describe pickleball as a dwarf version of tennis. Others describe it as an over-grown version of ping pong (table tennis). It's played like tennis and scored like badminton. Regardless of what you think it is, the pickleball phenomenon has taken hold.
For decades, the game was little known outside the Pacific Northwest United States. Since its inception in 1965 as a backyard pastime, Pickleball has seen significant growth in the United States over the past decade. It is now an organized sport represented by national and international governing bodies. According to the USA Pickleball Association, the sport boasts an estimated 100,000 adult players in the United States now, more than triple the number in 2003, and there are about 2,500 public courts, versus just 150 that year.
Pickleball has seen an explosion of sort in Florida, especially in Central Florida, which is considered by many to be the pickleball capital of the world now. The Villages, a popular retirement community located near Orlando Florida, hosts more than 108 courts alone.
More and more pickleball courts are being built in new 55-plus communities and are being added to existing communities all over the United States and in other countries too. Del Webb, the United States’ largest builder of active-adult communities, had pickleball courts in fewer than one in five of its developments in 2006. Now, says Jacque Petroulakis, spokeswoman for parent company PulteGroup Inc., the figure is above 50 percent, and Del Webb incorporates pickleball into almost everything it builds. "It's the hottest craze sweeping our communities," she says.
Pickleball has spread across the United States and into Canada. It is now beginning to spread around the world. The United States Pickleball Association estimates there are more than 100,000 active picklers. In Canada, where the game is still relatively new, there are already more than 5,000 players in just four provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario. Meanwhile new organizations like the Singapore Pickleball Association and the All India Pickleball Association are bringing the game to Asia and beyond.
For pickleball players, the sport is a way to exercise, burn calories, be social, and get outdoors. The sport is easy to learn, even for those without much athletic experience. For all of these reasons, players find pickleball addictive, with demand for court time often exceeding available space. And in case you were wondering exactly what the term “pickler” means. According to the World Pickleball Federation (yes there is one), a pickler is a certified pickleball player who may or may not become addicted in the next 10 minutes or less. The sport with a whimsical name also has some whimsical terms and definitions. While many picklers play the game for fun, many play it competitively in regional, national and international singles and doubles tournaments.
According to the website of the USA Pickleball Association, which officially took over the sport in 2005, pickleball is played on a badminton-size court with the net lowered to 34 inches at the center. It is played with a perforated plastic baseball (similar to a Wiffle Ball) and solid wooden, composite, graphite or aluminum paddles that resemble large table tennis paddles. The game was invented by a man in Washington state in 1965, and is named after his dog Pickles who used to chase balls all over a court.
The Pickleball "Racket" - Ping, Pop, Thwack
As picklers get excited about their smashes, rallies, put aways, serves, and volleys on the court, some residents off the court living within earshot are crying foul. Even as momentum for the sport builds, the game has left a trail of detractors and spawned studies to determine if the sport meets noise regulations. When the pickleball paddle hits the hard plastic ball it makes a unique “pop” or "ping" sound that is louder and sharper to the ear and registers 3-5 decibels higher on a sound meter than the “thwack” heard when a tennis racquet hits the softer tennis ball. Regulation games are played to 11 points (a team must win by two points). Some local games are played to 15 points so the ball may strike the paddles hundreds of times in a game.This constant hard sharp sound can be bothersome to some residents living near the courts if the sound is not blocked by natural barriers of some type or by acoustical material hung on the fence that surrounds the court.
You can hear the sound for yourself by watching the YouTube video of a tournament match.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdVMcIDQJlA
While the sport of pickleball is growing with new fans every day, it’s also faulting with some neighbors and communities who don’t want pickleball courts in their area because of the unwanted sounds and continuous racket/noise. In some communities, the divisions have prompted heated meetings among property owners, calls for noise studies and even claims that pickleball is destroying property values.
Increasing Number of Courts Could Lead to More Noise Issues
According to the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA), the number of places to play pickleball nationwide has grown in the past 12 years from just 37 to nearly 1400. In Mission Royale, a 55-plus community in Casa Grande, Ariz., the local pickleball club is trying to secure courts of its own. Partly in response to noise complaints, the community's developer, Meritage Homes Corp., recently said it would be willing to spend "significant dollars" to relocate pickleball from a converted tennis court, says Jeff Grobstein, desert region president for Meritage.
Ron Heymann, 65, whose home is about 100 feet from the existing courts, says he won't be sorry to see pickleball go. The noise from games—that of a "hard plastic ball thunk-thunking repetitively on a hard wooden paddle"—is "akin to a toothache that won't go away."
Pickleball players in Mission Royale dispute such claims—for the most part. "There is a constant 'ping, ping,'" concedes John Grasso, 61, president of the local pickleball club. In March, Mr. Grasso says the club purchased a decibel meter from RadioShack. The findings: Tennis reached about 58 decibels while pickleball hit about 60. "There really was no difference. It's just a different sound."
The difference was enough to evict the sport from its home in SaddleBrooke near Tampa, FL. In 2008, residents there first asked pickleball players to switch to a rubber ball to cut back on noise. Pickleball players passed. Many feel like the sound is an integral part of the game and the experience.
"Ask golfers to use a different kind of ball, and see what they say," says John Benter, 69, local pickleball president.
A $4,500 noise study found that sounds from pickleball play were spiking above the county's 60-decibel limit, which applies to ongoing noise. As a result, the homeowners' association banned use of standard pickleball paddles and balls on the courts, effectively shutting down play.
Pickleball-related lawsuites
Pickleball has also sparked lawsuits throughout the United States from people concerned and irritated about game noise that has intruded into their homes and personal outdoor spaces.
A November 15, 2012 Rockford Register Star article states that a lawsuit filed to stop pickleball from being played in Sinnissippi Park could be settled with additional noise control efforts from the Rockford Park District. In Winnebago County, Illinois, two people filed a complaint to the Winnebago County court asking for an injunction to stop play at the six courts at the Sinnissippi Pickleball Center. The complaint said the “pop” the ball makes as it flies off the paddle sounds “like a hammer blow on a blacksmith’s anvil” and “the noise filters into every part of their property and household.”
An article found on AzCentral.com website said Otis and Jean Vaughn thought the active lifestyle and peaceful setting of Venture Out RV Resort were the perfect ticket for retirement when they bought a home in the east Mesa community. For much of the past two decades, they played tennis, exercised at the community pool and traveled. But the Vaughns said that tranquility ended when the "pinging and popping" sounds of pickleball erupted on badminton-size courts that were built last year about 30 feet from their driveway.
"It's absolutely deafening," he said of the hard-surface paddles striking perforated plastic balls. The Vaughns' protest is among a chorus of objections to noise generated by the game in at least four Arizona retirement communities and several other states.
Noise Mitigation Solutions
Some of the noise problems for pickleball are not just because of the racquets and ball used. There are other issues. Some pickleball courts were built too close to homes. Also, most courts have chain link fencing around them which doesn’t block any noise. Some courts have tried using screen meshing on the chain link fence but it is porous and does not block noise well. Other developments have used trees and landscaping as a way to block noise during matches. These natural barriers are seldom effective.
There are other more modern acoustical solutions to the pickleball noise that can be used and are currently being used by pickleball associations and builders. Acoustifence is a modern day acoustical soundproofing product that just happens to be developed and sold by the owner of this blog - Tampa, Fla.-based Acoustiblok, Inc.
Acoustifence is an advanced material sound barrier that is placed between a noise source and the noise receiver. The Acoustifence material easily attaches to chain link fences and comes in large sheets and in custom made sizes, making it ideal. In a sound meter test conducted by USA Pickleball Association president Bill Booth on April 17, 2012 at the Country Roads RV Village pickleball courts in Yuma, Arizona, Acoustifence soundproofing material placed around a pickleball court reduced noise by 10-12 decibels This represents a 50 percent reduction in sound as perceived by the human ear the report concludes.
Let’s Google That Pickle Word
Today, if you Google the word pickleball, it receives about 212,000 results. Google the word ping pong and you get 90 million results. Google Google badminton and you get 27.5 million with volleyball yielding 171 million results. America’s current most popular sport, NFL football yielded 335 million results. So pickleball, while gaining popularity, is still finding its way into the cyberworld compared to other popular recreational activities. Google the word "pickleball noise" and you'll get 22,000 results, probably much more than the sports governing bodies feels good about.
Despite a few small bumps in the road, pickleball is finding its way into the hearts of many.
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Pickleball Links
United States of America Pickleball Association
http://www.usapa.org/
International Federation of Pickleball
http://ipickleball.org/
Overview of Pickleball Rules
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0157/4690/files/243978_Pickle_Ball_Rules.pdf?3421
Pickleball Basics
• Pickleball is a fun game played on a badminton court with the net lowered at 34 inches on center. It is played with a perforated plastic baseball, similar to a whiffle ball, and wood or composite paddles. It is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced competitive game for experienced players.
• There are usually four players - two each side on a team - playing over a net slightly lower than in tennis. Singles can play a match also.
• In tournaments, a match will usually consist of the best 2 out of 3 games to 11.
• Players swing rackets that look like a beefed-up version of a beach paddleball paddle and hit a whiffle ball that's slightly harder than the play-in-the-streets variety.
• The serve is underhanded and goes diagonally like in tennis, but the ball must bounce once on each side before players are allowed to hit a volley (out of the air). A player serves until he/she side outs then a person on the other team serves.
• Inside ''The Kitchen,'' a 7-foot zone on both sides of the net, volleying is not allowed; players have to let the ball bounce once if they're in that area.
• Teams only score when they're serving, and each player gets a turn before the other side gets a shot.
• There are a few more rules, but the main thing is that pickleball is a blast.
Soundproofing Products for Pickleball Courts
www.acoustiblok.com
Posted by Liz Ernst on Fri, Nov 30, 2012 @ 05:00 AM
For years the FAA has been working with residents living within so-called noise impact areas of U.S. airports by providing grants to pay for soundproofing materials to be installed in homes within these designated areas.
With aircraft noise pollution named as one of the most maddening and volatile environmental problems among homeowners today, it makes sense that the FAA is stepping in with noise abatement measures for residents who not only fear the health risks of the high decibel noise, but want to protect their real estate values as well. Noise pollution is associated with serious health problems, sleep deprivation, lowered productivity and other issues.
Although governmental agencies are stepping up to the plate to address the rising problem of noise pollution, the tables can turn unexpectedly for citizens who live in areas in which airport-related noise pollution levels are actually being lowered.
Residents living around the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California are eligible for federal funding to soundproof their homes, but they’re being told to act fast because the area impacted by air traffic noise pollution around the airport is actually growing smaller.
The shrinking noise-impact zone is changing the status of some residents because fewer flights are coming in and out of the airfield, and aircrafts are being built or modified to operate more quietly, which means the noise-impact zone is expected to condense.
Homeowners who already qualify for the grant-funded soundproofing need to act quickly and take advantage of the FAA-sponsored soundproofing improvements to their homes now, according to the airport’s Executive Director Dan Feger.
“People who have the opportunity right now should take advantage of it because in all likelihood funding for that will go away,” Feger said at a recent meeting of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority.
The first draft of a noise-impact forecast on noise around the airport will now go to the FAA, which has six months to review it.
Since the launch of the soundproofing program, 2,356 single- and multi-family residences have had soundproofing materials installed, and another 357 residential owners have expressed an interest in having these measures taken in their homes as well.
But the owners of 1,926 eligible homes have yet to take advantage of the noise barrier measures offered to them by the FAA.
The decreasing noise-impact boundary surrounding the airport is a welcome sign for anti-noise pollution advocates, who say this is not the norm for airports nationwide. But with the decrease in noise pollution comes the very real fear that falling passenger figures are going to have a negative economic impact on the airport, which handles about 123,000 operations every year including commercial and private planes, helicopters and cargo aircraft.
When the last noise-impact study was completed in 1998, the airport handled 184,500 aircraft operations annually, so the drop-off is significant, However, projections show a rebound in flight numbers between now and 2017, which means this shrinking impact boundary may be short lived.
But homeowners who are eligible for the soundproofing now will lose that eligibility once the smaller noise impact boundary is confirmed and funding is halted. Even if the noise-impact boundary grows again in the future, there are no guarantees that the FAA will provide future home soundproofing for anyone.
Just three months ago, the FAA committed an additional $1 million to soundproof residences within earshot of the Bob Hope airfield’s flight paths in the area’s ongoing effort to reduce the impact of aircraft noise.
The average cost to install soundproofing materials is estimated at $32,094 per home, according to a project report.
In addition, a voluntary curfew was put in place from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. for commercial passenger airlines, but not for UPS or FedEx, which have to be able to fly their cargo into the airport to ensure their morning deliveries.
Funding for the soundproofing program comes from an existing Federal Aviation Administration grant, passenger charges, and the airport authority’s general fund.
Cities throughout the U.S. have similar FAA-sponsored soundproofing programs to alleviate the impact of aircraft noise on citizens who are adversely affected.
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Posted by Liz Ernst on Thu, Nov 29, 2012 @ 05:30 AM
Residents of Minneapolis and nearby Edina raised their collective voices and lobbied successfully to keep aircraft noise out of their backyards last week, effectively delaying a new FAA flight pattern that would have rerouted some aircraft through their neighborhoods to alleviate plane noise plaguing the community of Richfield.
The lesson here is simple and timeless – the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and residents of both Minneapolis and Edina proved it last week. Their gain is now Richfield’s loss.
Similar episodes are playing out across the U.S., illuminating an increasingly common fight that pits community against community over local airport noise. Ultimately, the best organized and often most combative reign victorious, while neighboring communities are left to deal with renewed levels of airport noise pollution. The outcome of these battles can affect everything from residents’ health and well-being to real estate values.
First a little geography. Edina is about nine miles southwest of Minneapolis, and Richfield is just under five miles east of Edina. All three deal with aircraft noise from the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport Lindbergh Terminal. The community of Richfield bears the brunt of incoming and outgoing aircraft noise due to its close proximity to the airport. But Richfield has been lobbying hard to have some flights rerouted, which would have lightened Richfield’s noise impact while increasing aircraft noise pollution in Minneapolis and Edina.
Just as word got out that the FAA was poised to approve the new flight plan, Minneapolis and Edina slammed the agency with emails, petitions, and phone calls to defeat the plan that would route more aircraft over their own back yards. All the commotion worked, and the FAA’s ruling to delay the flight pattern change left Ritchfield residents back where they started.
As the aircraft noise pollution problem increases from one year to the next, this turn of events illustrates how communities can expect to be pitted against each other to protect their peace and quiet, and how the best organized communities ultimately win the battle.
Ironically, the uproar over aircraft noise pollution has gone from spewing choice words of displeasure at the airlines to battling neighboring communities to determine which one least deserves the bulk of the airwave invasion.
Edina homeowners were the first to organize, and they did so quite effectively. Local activists took up the cause, using language that was alarming and filled with imagery meant to scare others into agreement.
Emails warning of "Toxic Super Highway for Planes planned for Edina," in the subject line threatened other homeowners with proclamations that “This (new flight pattern) will dramatically reduce your quality of life AND significantly reduce your property values," read another.
Homeowners filled a meeting of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to review the new flight plan, which uses a system that utilizes satellite technology to reroute planes more precisely over less populated areas. The FAA uses the same system for airports nationwide.
Richfield residents were happy with the new flight pattern system because it would steer air traffic over the city’s Crosstown Expressway, where many of the homes already had government-subsidized sound proofing, and away from neighborhoods in which homes were more vulnerable to noise.
But Edina and Minneapolis activists opposed the new plan because they said that while it would benefit certain homeowners, others would be harmed by it. Now, the rerouting plan is on hold while more studies are conducted, and Richfield residents are back to square one.
Minneapolis homeowners are well known for their anti-airport noise activism, which in 2007 resulted in a settlement that forced the FAA to provide soundproofing material in 5,800 homes that were affected by aircraft noise.
Last summer, we witnessed a similar dilemma when residents of the Hamptons demanded changes be made to alleviate the horrendous levels of noise pollution incurred by neighbors who were utilizing private helicopters to commute to back and forth between homes in the Hamptons and offices in Manhattan.
The helicopter noise was unbearable according to Hamptons residents and visitors alike, who claimed it made windows rattle, woke people from their sleep and heightened anxiety and blood pressure in many of those exposed to the helicopter noise. Residents on Long Island and Manhattan were also subjected to the helicopters’ relentless pounding day and night, seven days a week. However, when FAA officials ordered new flight paths and hours to protect Hamptons residents from the clamor, the proposed changed impacted Long Island and Manhattan residents negatively.
Ten years ago, people were still telling themselves that noise pollution was something we need to live with, something that was unavoidable. Today, the opposite is happening as awareness over the dangers of noise pollution to health and well-being has increased, and people are growing more protective over the quality of their environments.
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Posted by Liz Ernst on Wed, Nov 21, 2012 @ 07:31 AM
Researchers have figured out something about owls that airports would like to get their hands on to reduce noise pollution.
Owl feathers.
Owls are known to have the unique ability to fly without making a sound. Turns out their feathers are designed for a quiet flight so they can hunt prey in acoustic stealth.
Aircraft designers are trying to figure out a way to use what they know about owl feathers to mitigate aircraft noise. They just have to figure out how that would work.
Researchers at England’s Cambridge University have been studying the owl’s wing structure to get a better understanding of exactly how it flies quiet so they can apply nature’s engineering to aircraft design. Aircrafts are among the worst noise pollution contributors on earth, and no stone that might help solve the problem will be left unturned. No feather either.
The Cambridge researchers are scheduled to present their findings to the American Physical Society's (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics this week in San Diego.
Justin Jaworski, of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at Cambridge says that many owl species have developed specialized plumage to effectively eliminate the aerodynamic noise from their wings, which allows them to hunt and capture their prey using their ears alone.
"No one knows exactly how owls achieve this acoustic stealth, and the reasons for this feat are largely speculative based on comparisons of owl feathers and physiology to other not-so-quiet birds such as pigeons,” Jaworski says.
All wings, whether they are created in nature or engineered by Boeing, create turbulent “eddies” as they cut through the air. An eddy is a current of air running contrary to the main current; it can also manifest as a circular current like a whirlpool.
When these eddies hit the trailing edge of the wing, they become audible and even amplified, and they scatter as sound. This is why conventional aircraft with their hard trailing edges are particularly noisy.
On the other hand, owls possess at least three distinct features that are believed to contribute to their ability to fly in silence, eddy or no eddy: First, the leading edge on the owls’ wings are serrated like a comb. Second, the trailing feathers on the back end of the wing are tattered like the fringe of a scarf. And third, the rest of the owls’ wings and legs are covered in velvety down feathers.
The serrated feathers on the leading edge of owl wings have more to do with keeping the raptors stable than quiet, but the fringe on owls’ trailing feathers allows for “a very large noise reduction at the speed owls fly.” The owls’ tattered fringe feathers help to break up the sound waves that are generated as air flows over the top of their wings and forms downstream wakes.
The noise reduction achieved from the tattered fringe makes owls the quietest flying birds.
One more thing: the velvety down feathers found elsewhere on owls’ wings and legs absorb the remaining sound frequencies above 2,000 hertz, making owls completely silent to their prey.
Ornithologists have been fascinated by the silent flight of owls since ornithologists first began watching them. No other birds fly with such stealth. But can the remarkable structure of owl wings and feathers be replicated for aircrafts? And if so, how hilarious would that look?
Some ideas being tossed around include a retractable, brush-like fringe to mimic an owl’s trailing feathers, and applying a velvety coating to aircraft landing gear.
Researchers are still trying to figure out if it is just one of these attributes or a combination of all three responsible for the noise reduction. But they have been working on figuring out owl stealth by developing a theory for the owl’s noise mitigation skills from the trailing edge of its wing – typically man-made wing’s dominant noise source.
Unfortunately, when it comes to aircraft design, noise reduction still takes a backseat to fuel efficiency. But researchers are optimistic that lessons learned from the study of owl feathers may have the potential to influence the frequency and locations of aircraft takeoffs and landings. And that could make a big difference in airline efficiency. Major airports such as London’s Heathrow and Chicago’s O’Hare place restrictions on the amount of noise any airline can make in a day. If the airlines manage to dampen sound generated by their aircrafts, they are permitted to enlist more flights without threatening to exceed their noise pollution cap.
That way, everyone’s happy.
Remember, the owl has been enjoying its silent flight for some 20 million years. Along comes the human in search of something that will effectively cure aircraft noise pollution, and we think there might be some hope in owl feathers. We’ve got a long way to go. I Give it another 20 years.
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