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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 UnitDevelopment ServicesAbbotsford HouseDavid’s LoanFalkirkFK2 7YZ01324 - 504982www.falkirk.gov.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 night’s entertainment. To another the same band may represent a stressful, irritating and even harmful noise.
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Total number of noise complaints
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
2002 2003 2004 2005
years
num
ber
of c
ompl
aint
s
Noise complaintsreceived toEnvironmental HealthUnit
DAT requests fromHousing and HousingAssociations
Falkirk Council - Facts & Figures!
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Noise Complaints-Ambient 2004
01020304050607080
Types of complaints
Nu
mb
er
of
co
mp
lain
ts
Falkirk Council - Facts & Figures!
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Noise Complaints-Neighbour 2004
020406080
100120140
Bar
king
dogs
Vib
ratio
n
Chi
ldre
n
Ban
ging
Doo
rs
Voi
ces
Bed
room
Ant
ics
DA
TR
eque
sts
Type of complaints
Nu
mb
er o
f co
mp
lain
ts
Falkirk Council - Facts & Figures!
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Noise Complaints (Ambient)
2002 2003 2004 2005 1/1-4/5/05
Construction/Demolition 51 54 68 8
Pubs/Clubs 43 35 50 11
Industrial 23 52 31 12
Commercial 41 36 37 6
Transportation 8 19 26 9
Outdoor Events 11 8 5 2
Vehicle Alarms 1 0 5 1
Car Stereos 0 1 0 0
Ice cream Vans 11 3 3 0
Agricultural 0 3 1 0
Vibration 6 8 11 3
Unallocated 1 0 3 6
Total number of noise complaints
196 219 240 58
Falkirk Council - Facts & Figures!
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Noise Complaints (Neighbour)
2002 2003 2004 2005 1/1-4/5/05
Barking dogs 108 133 132 50
Audible Intruder Alarms 18 12 19 4
Vibration 3 7 2 2
DIY 6 17 7 4
Children 2 4 5 5
Television 6 8 7 0
Banging Doors 3 6 14 4
Amplified Music 58 55 70 17
Voices 13 15 15 6
Vehicle Repairs 3 5 5 0
Bedroom Antics 0 1 0 0
Boilers 1 2 3 0
DAT Requests 82 102 92 34
Unallocated 0 1 5 3
Total 303 368 376 129
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-don’t 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 dog’s owner is out of the house and so the owner doesn’t 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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• British Tinnitus Association
http://www.tinnitus.org.uk
• Royal Environmental Health Institute Scotland
http://www.rehis.org.uk
• Mediation UK
www.mediationuk.org.uk
Who knows more about noise?