What is the best instrument for controlling sound?

Controlling sound is important in order to reduce noise pollution and decrease the impact noise has both in external and internal environment. Controlling noise is particularly important in occupational settings, where exposure to loud volumes of noise can be detrimental to people’s health. Accurate and efficient noise control requires sound monitoring instruments to measure and gather data related to the decibels being produced in an area.

The most widely used instrument that assess sound accurately is a sound level meter. A noise or sound level meter is a device which is used to make frequency-weighted sound level measurements, which are displayed in decibels.

This vital instrument to controlling noise contains a microphone, which picks up the intensity of the decibels within its range. This widely-used instrument to controlling noise is small, hand-held and easy to carry around. The sound level meter is used by many health and safety professionals in order to get accurate assessments of the sound produced in an occupation setting. If the noise created in a working environment is shown to be above the limits put in place by occupational noise health and safety standards, the employer must take action to reduce the noise levels and protect the hearing of employees.

Another instrument to controlling sound that is a slight variation of the noise level meter is the sound dosimeter. The dosimeter is a purpose-build instrument that assess sound. It is typically smaller than a sound level meter and is designed to be worn by an employee, usually via a short cable that is clipped to an employee’s helmet or shirt. The dosimeter is worn by the employee for the duration of their working day.

By travelling around with a worker, this instrument to controlling noise level measures the noise levels an employee is exposed to throughout the whole of the working day and in each area the individual works in.

This highly precise instrument to controlling noise is often used in conjunction with a computer or external data device, to download the noise measuring data to and store the information.
Noise level meters and sound dosimeters are cost-effective and efficient devices in measuring and controlling sound in occupational settings. Being such accurate and easy to use sound monitoring devices, the noise level meter and sound dosimeter, enable employers and health and safety professionals to gather noise levels quickly. By logging sound levels over a given period, employers can then assess the sound and compare it against health and safety regulations to see whether the noise levels produced in the workplace complies with the limits set by official regulations or exceed them.

If the instrument that assess the sound reveal the noise exceeds the levels deemed as safe, action must be carried out to give employees hearing protection and/or reduce the noise levels. Failing to take action can lead to an employer being prosecuted for not complying with current health and safety standards and regulations. Sound level meters and noise dosimeters can be purchased through noise instrument distributors.