2016 is rapidly coming to a close and 2017 is almost upon us. New Year is always a time for reflection. With this in mind, I reviewed all the NoiseNews updates from 2016 and can now reveal the top 10 blogs that aim to educate, inform and entertain. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let us begin.
Top 10 Blogs of 2016
10. The Big Bang Theory: What You Really Get with Fireworks
Diwali, Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve. Three events that are synonymous with fireworks. They would not be the same without the whizz, bang and wallop. However, some fireworks can be more of a damp squib than out of this world when it comes to the big bang factor. That is why we put some of the most popular fireworks to the test to see which ones deliver more bang for your buck.
9. Optimus and Invictus are the Classic Combination
Imagine a perfect summer’s evening with a 40-strong classical orchestra playing to an appreciative audience in a leafy green park. So far, so very English. Add in the fact the Park is in the heart of Lancaster city surrounded by thousands of homes and the orchestra is playing sets of the Hacienda’s classic 90s house music hits and you can understand the headache facing Acoustic Consultant Chris Selkirk on his latest noise monitoring project.
8. The 6th Biggest Noise at Work Mistake…and How to Fix It
Health & Safety Managers everywhere know that managing noise risks isn’t as easy as it sounds. If you don’t, the company runs the risk of being fined by the Health & Safety Executive or sued by their employees for noise-induced hearing loss. To help you avoid the pitfalls, let’s recap of the 5 Biggest Noise at Work Mistakes. I’ll then talk you through the newly revealed 6th Mistake, which is arguably one of the most important of them all.
7. LNE Type Approval to IEC 61672-1:2013 & IEC 61260:1995 for the Optimus Red & Optimus Green
We’re pleased to announce that the Class 1 Optimus Green and Class 1 Optimus Red Sound Level Meters have passed the latest round of Type Approval Tests and have been certified as meeting the latest version of the sound level meter standard, IEC 61672-1:2013 (and the corresponding NF EN 61672-1:2014 publication).
6. What is an Anechoic Chamber and How Quiet can it be?
One of the things that we often talk about when we’re running our CPTC (Cirrus Product Training Courses) is how our hearing works and we often end up talking about how, if there’s no ambient sound, we can feel uncomfortable and can become disoriented very quickly. One of the best (or maybe the worst) places to experience this is in an anechoic chamber.
5. NoiseTools for Noise Nuisance Recorder Users
When you invest in a Trojan Noise Nuisance Recorder, we also include our NoiseTools software. This makes it easy for you to download, analyse, playback and share your measurement data. To help you get the most out of NoiseTools, we’ve created a series of video tutorials to guide you through different aspects of the software. Watch them here.
4. Yorkshire Hotspots for Noise Nuisance Complaints
Noise nuisance complaints looks set to be one of the big community issues again of 2016. Local Authorities are having to budget ever more resources to policing the issue. This isn’t easy in these times of austerity. But how many noise nuisance complaints do they receive? We wanted to find out.
3. How Long will the Batteries Last in My Sound Level Meter
Do you have questions about noise measurement that Google or Wikipedia just can’t seem to answer? Ask The Noise Doctor. I’ll be giving answers to our most frequently asked questions and in this article I’ll be covering battery life in the Optimus Sound Level Meter range.
2. A Guide to Noise Measurement Terminology
There are 100s of different acoustic parameters that can be used during your noise measurements. Each parameter can tell you something different the noise you’re monitoring. How do you remember what all this noise measurement terminology means and what it does?
1. The NEW doseBadge5 Noise Dosimeter Has Arrived
The new generation of the doseBadge® Noise Dosimeter has arrived. It was launched at the Safety & Health Expo 2016 in London’s ExCel (21st to 23rd June 2016) on Stand Q2050. Here’s a look at how the doseBadge5 will help you monitor occupational noise exposure.
Merry Christmas from Me, The Noise Doctor
And with that it’s time to say goodbye for 2016. Well, it has certainly been an eventful year. The result of the Brexit vote came as a great shock to many. The full ramifications of this will take time to filter through but I don’t expect any drastic changes to the legislation surrounding noise just yet. I think the government has slighter more pressing issues to address first.
On a lighter note, I did have time to visit Santa’s North Pole Workshop to carry out some noise measurements. I can happily verify that the Elves are working in a safe environment without excessive noise levels. Cue the ‘elf and safety’ jokes here.
I hope you have a jolly Christmas and a prosperous 2017.
The Noise Doctor
