Noise Action Week

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Noise Action Week

• 23-27 May 2005

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Noise Action Week

• Promoting practical solutions to everyday noise
  problems

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Falkirk Council

• Environmental Health Unit
• Development Services
• Abbotsford House
• Davids Loan
• Falkirk
• FK2 7YZ
• 01324 - 504982
• www.falkirk.gov.uk

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NSCA

• www.noiseactionweek.org.uk
• noiseactionweek_at_nsca.org.uk

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Noise Facts and Figures!

• Nearly a third of people in Britain are annoyed
  by neighbour noise, and for 14 it has an impact
  on quality of life. Roughly half of noise makers
  claim to be unaware they are making a noise that
  is causing disturbance.
• MORI 2003

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Noise Facts and Figures!

• Amplified music remains the main source of noise
  complaint in England, Scotland and Wales with
  Barking Dogs a close second..
• NSCA 06/04

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Noise Facts and Figures!

• Lack of communication with neighbours is thought
  to be a major reason for increased noise
  complaints by local authorities.
• NSCA 06/04

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Noise Facts and Figures!

• Better education on noise expectation and
  tolerance are crucial in tackling complaints
• NSCA National Noise Survey 2004

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Noise Facts and Figures!

• The word noise derives from the Latin word
  nausea meaning sickness.

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What is Noise?

• Unwanted sound
• Noise will affect different people in different
  ways. To one person a loud band may provide a
  pleasant nights entertainment. To another the
  same band may represent a stressful, irritating
  and even harmful noise.

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Falkirk Council - Facts Figures!
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Falkirk Council - Facts Figures!
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Falkirk Council - Facts Figures!
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Falkirk Council - Facts Figures!
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Falkirk Council - Facts Figures!
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Noise Action Week - Aims

• Promotes practical solutions to everyday noise
  problems
• Promotes communication and consideration between
  neighbours
• Enables local authority etc to inform the public
  of services available to highlights local noise
  issues

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Noise Action Week - Aims

• Aims to educate and inform both noise makers and
  noise sufferers about the impact that noise can
  have on our everyday lives
• Encourage everyone to take a quiet moment to
  think about the noises they make and the noises
  that affect them- and what they can do to reduce
  the impact.

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Annoying Noises

• Neighbour noise
• Loud music
• Anti social behaviour
• Alarms
• DIY
• Dog barking
• Hard flooring
• Fireworks

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Neighbour Noise

• Site noisy household equipment (eg washing
  machines) away from partitions walls
• When buying new household appliances, ask how
  noisy it is, opt for quiet appliances
• Keep the volume down on TV/Music especially late
  at night (use headphones-but be careful not to
  deafen yourself)
• Sssh-dont shout
• Avoid slamming doors
• Avoid thundering up and down stairs

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Loud Music

• Keep the volume down
• Place speakers away from partitions walls, floors
  and ceilings
• Play at a time that will cause least disturbance
  to your neighbour
• If your having a party, tell your neighbours in
  advance, keep noise to a minimum
• Invite your neighbour

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Anti-social behaviour

• This is behaviour that disturbs others.
• Noise is generally only one element of
  anti-social behaviour.
• If you are leaving a house/pub etc Say your good
  byes quietly
• Avoid shouting/slamming doors/revving car
  engines/peeping horns especially at night

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Anti-social behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004

• New anti-social behaviour laws are in place
  covering a wide range of issues including
  additional powers to deal with noise nuisance
  (the noise nuisance provisions are not currently
  enforceable within Falkirk Council)
• Full guidance will shortly be released detailing
  the implementation of this new legislation within
  Falkirk Council area.

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Alarms

• Car/Intruder Alarms accidentally going off can be
  very annoying
• Make sure alarm is regularly maintained and
  fitted with a cut off device

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DIY Noise

• Can be very noisy
• Consider your neighbours when you are carrying
  out works
• Let them know when you plan to carry out any
  noisy work, especially on party walls/floors
• Agree a time for work-when is likely to disturb
  them

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DIY

• Avoid drilling/banging late at night early
  morning or when its likely to disturb your
  neighbour
• If you warn your neighbour in advance they are
  less likely to complain

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Gardening

• Use power tools with discretion, avoid
  strimming/shredding when your neighbours are
  relaxing in the sun shine
• Splashing fountains/wind chimes can be annoying
  at night

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What can you do when affected by neighbour noise?

• If you are being disturbed by your neighbours,
  first approach them politely- they may not
  realise they are causing a problem
• Let them know when noisy work would disturb you
  least
• If you suffer persistent noise, personnel
  approach has not worked/or not possible contact
  Environmental Health/or Mediation
• Contact police

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Dog Barking

• A barking dog is lonely, bored or unhappy
• Constant barking/whining of a dog can be
  disturbing or annoying for neighbours
• The problem often occurs when the dogs owner is
  out of the house and so the owner doesnt know
  until someone complains.

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Dog Barking prevention for dog owners

• Dog training
• Do not leave dog alone for long periods
• Leave a radio on at low volume
• Feed exercise him before you go out leave him
  some fresh water
• Comfortable bed, toys
• Check room temperature not too hot/cold, adequate
  ventilation
• New anti-bark collar

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Dealing with dog barking

• First approach the dog owner, as they may not
  realise there is a problem. If this fails, or you
  are unhappy about approaching the owner then,
• Contact Environmental Health Unit for advise
• Contact District Council to make an application
  for an Order to prevent the annoyance continuing

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Hard flooring

• The trend towards laminated flooring has been the
  cause of an increasing number of noise complaints
  from impact noise caused by everyday activities
  eg footsteps/dropping objects/scraping
  furniture/jumping children
• Carefully consider the potential impact to your
  neighbours especially in flats/terraced houses
• Some leases prohibit hard floorings

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Hard flooring

• Make sure it will not increase noise impact
• Ensure any sound proofing is effective
• Use rugs
• Remove shoes

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Fireworks

• Can frighten pets/people and can harm hearing.
  Give neighbours a few days warning of your
  display
• Avoid noisy varieties
• Consider time of display-normally finish by 11pm
• Use open garden areas as noise bounces off
  buildings

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How Loud is Noise?

• 150dB balloon pop/gunshot/artillery fire
• 140dB plane take off/fireworks
• 130dB pneumatic drill/percussion section
  of orchestra/stock car racing. Noise this
  loud hurts
• 120dB Fire Engine/night club
• 110dB Football crowd/personal
  stereo/baby crying

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How loud is Noise?

• 100dB Exercise class/video arcade
• 90dB Shouting/Food processor- at this
  level hearing protection must be worn in
  the work place
• 85dB Handsaw/heavy traffic this loud
  can damage hearing
• 80dB Ringing phone/ vacuum cleaner

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How Loud is Noise?

• 70dB Washing machine/alarm clock/TV
• 60dB Normal conversion/sewing machine
• 50dB Rainfall/busy office
• 40dB Refrigerator/library
• 30dB Bedroom at night
• 20dB Broadcasting studio
• 10dB Breathing/leaves rustling

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Who knows more about noise?

• The Scottish Executive
• Air Quality
• Environmental Group
• http//www.scotland.gov.uk
• Health Safety Executive
• http//www.hse.gov.uk/noise/index.htm

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Who knows more about noise?

• British Tinnitus Association
• http//www.tinnitus.org.uk
• Royal Environmental Health Institute Scotland
• http//www.rehis.org.uk
• Mediation UK
• www.mediationuk.org.uk