Safety and sound

摘要

Ask the average person in the street what they know about sound and there's a better than even chance that they would reply 'it's measured in decibels'. They might not know what this means exactly but they are probably very aware of the effects of loud sounds and the unwanted sounds that we call noise.rnIndeed, you may have had to raise your metaphorical voices in the street even to have held the conversation. Having to shout to be heard in a workplace setting would also be a sure sign of a potential noise problem.rnHigh noise levels don't just interfere with communication but contribute to the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) over the longer term or traumatic hearing loss due to just one loud blast. This is particularly true in a military setting, where potential exposure to unacceptably high noise levels from vehicle platforms, weapons and munitions can be the daily norm.