Noise Monitoring

Seismic Survey’s noise monitoring services are valuable in addressing noise complaints or claims.

Noise monitoring services assist our customers with health and safety compliance with occupational noise exposure limits and state and local noise control ordinances. Our clients use these measurements to demonstrate regulatory compliance and to protect themselves from unwarranted claims and complaints. If noise levels become excessive, our clients can use the data we provide to develop mitigation measures to bring their operations into compliance.

Underwater Noise Measurement

SSI also offers underwater noise monitoring services. Our underwater noise monitoring services can include:

  • Measurement of underwater noise levels using precision hydrophones.
  • Underwater audio recording.
  • Analysis of data according to an assessment against underwater noise limits (including Caltrans and Department of Fish and Wildlife Standards) for the protection of fish, turtles, and marine mammals.

Sound vs. Noise

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety says sound is what we hear. Noise is unwanted sound. The difference between noise and sound is subjective. For example, rock music can be a pleasing sound to one listener and an annoying noise to another. In either case, if the sound is loud and exposure is long and often enough, it can be hazardous to a person’s hearing.

Vibrating objects produce sound that reaches the listener’s ears as waves in the air or other media. When an object vibrates, it causes slight changes in air pressure. These air pressure changes travel as waves through the air and produces sound.

Why is Noise Monitoring Important?

The United States regulates occupational noise exposure through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Part 1910.95 – Occupational Noise Exposure), which says, “When information indicates that any employee’s exposure may equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer shall develop and implement a monitoring program.”

State and local ordinances or regulations limit noise levels transmitted to adjacent properties and exposures to nuisance levels that are well below safe exposure standards for hearing protection. Nighttime limits are often significantly lower than daytime limits.

Occupational exposure limits and nuisance/compliance limits are typically in measurement units of A-weighted decibels (dB (A)) that measure noise levels in a frequency range that mimics the human ear (about 20-20,000 Hertz (Hz)). Singular impulsive noises, like those from the detonation of explosives, have a higher threshold limit. We measure these noises with a specialized microphone on a linear scale, typically in a frequency range of 2 to 200 Hz.

How Does Noise Monitoring Work?

SSI uses A-weighted sound level microphones to measure noise levels transmitted to adjacent exposures from industrial processes or commercial uses. We offer both attended and unattended noise monitoring. For attended studies, our qualified technical staff will place and monitor noise at designated points of interest and document noise-generating events during the attended study.

For unattended studies, we will secure our automated noise monitoring equipment at locations of interest, and the monitors will wirelessly collect noise data at pre-determined intervals. Monitors automatically transmit data to our secure servers for distribution to project stakeholders. Monitors will send automated alerts (SMS or email) to stakeholders if noise levels exceed a pre-set threshold.

For long-term studies, Seismic Surveys offers web hosting of noise and vibration data.

Who We Serve

Noise monitoring services are helpful in applications that include construction, mining, infrastructure, and marine projects, among others.

Civil Construction

Vibration and noise monitoring for civil construction projects to document effects transmitted to nearby structures.

Sensitive Structures

Vibration and noise monitoring for demolition, construction, and renovations in and around vibration-sensitive structures.

Marine Construction

Vibration and noise monitoring to document effects on third-party structures, people, and marine life.

Transportation

Traffic vibration monitoring to assess the structural health of bridges and roadways and identify structural changes.

Mining

Vibration and overpressure monitoring for mining to document compliance and protect nearby structures.

Demolition

Vibration and Noise Monitoring capturing and documenting the effects of vibrations generated during demolition processes.

Visit our applications page to learn more about how clients use our services.

Contact Us

Monitoring vibration and noice is an essential for maintaining compliance with project standards and minimizing unwarranted claims.
Contact us to set your project on a safe and successful path.

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  • About Argus Monitoring Solutions

  • Argus Monitoring Solutions is a tech enabled, test measurement services platform that provides outsourced seismic and environmental monitoring and inspection services to the quarry, construction, infrastructure, and mining sectors. Argus companies include Seismic Surveys, Sauls Seismic, and Nomis Seismographs.