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Noise Control Technology Demonstration for the Furniture Industry.

Hart FD; Stewart JS

Noise-Con 81, Proceedings of the National Conference on Noise Control Engineering, Raleigh, North Carolina, June 8-10, 1981 1981:317-322

00177973

A demonstration program, intended to establish and document the economic and technical feasibility of engineering noise controls for the furniture manufacturing industry, was divided into four phases. First, a demonstration facility was chosen that was representative of small to medium size manufacturers, and also of individual facilities operated by larger firms, and that had a enough machines to assure a realistic mix. Assessment of the noise environment was thorough and included both existing noise due to individual machines and the exposure of employees to excessive noise. Implementation of technology was completed for machinery in the rough mill and finish machine areas: cutoff saws, facers and roughing planers, ripsaws, finish planers, moulders, and tenoners. Among 60 to 70 workers who had been exposed in the rough mill and finish machine areas for 8 hours to noise levels in excess of 90 A-weighted decibels (dBA), nearly 40 overexposures occurred. Noise control system effectiveness and cost impact were judged following emplacement of noise abatement technology that reduced background noise by as much as 10dBA. Noise levels for the various types of machines, before and after noise abatement efforts, were compared in a table that included installed system costs. Typical noise dose measurements for the machine operators, before and after noise abatement efforts, were also compared. The authors conclude that engineering noise control can be carried out on an economical and effective basis for furniture manufacturing machinery.

NIOSH-Grant; Woodworkers; Woodworking-equipment; Acoustical-measurements; Sound-attenuation; Protective-measures; Industrial-exposures; Industrial-equipment; Equipment-design; Controlled-environment;

19810101

Conference/Symposia Proceedings;

Royster LH; Hart FD; Stewart ND;

195223.00

Grant;

1981

Grant-Number-R01-OH-00953

Noise-Con 81, Proceedings of the National Conference on Noise Control Engineering, Raleigh, North Carolina, June 8-10, 1981

NC;

Mechanical and Aerospace Engr North Carolina State Univ Center for Acoustical Studies Raleigh, N C 27650