Do Standardised European Chain-saw Tests Represent the Noise Hazard During Real Use?

摘要

Machinery supplied within the European Economic Area must comply with the noise requirements of Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, that is, it must be designed to minimise noise risk and be supplied with information to enable use of the machine without risk, if noise hazard remains. Noise information provided by machinery manufacturers should alert purchasers to noise hazard and, with work pattern details, be suitable for estimating noise exposures that guide management of the noise; including identification of models of equivalent machinery with lower noise risk. Noise information provided in instructions according to harmonised European Standards shows that chain-saws present a high noise hazard, with manufacturers' declared emission sound pressure levels for combustion-engine machines typically around 100 dB(A). According to ISO 12001, these should 'be representative of the noisiest operation in typical usage of the machine'. The success of harmonised standards for chain-saws in meeting this requirement has been investigated. The noise generated at the operator's ear was measured for a sample of electric, battery and petrol chain-saws during tasks to represent real use, including cross-cutting and snedding. These real use noise levels have shown that the noise information in instructions can be reliable for warning of noise hazard and helping buyers to select lower noise chain-saws.