NASA Buy-Quiet Program[Insert your information here]

Why create a low-noise workplace?Lower risk of noise-induced hearing lossAnd . . . reduced cost of hearing loss claimsReduced hearing conservation program costsBetter speech intelligibilityBetween employees, w/ or w/o hearing protectionPA system and radio communicationIncreased safetyIncreased alarm audibilityIncreased concentrationReduced fatigueMore productive, comfortable environment*

Why cant we just wear earplugs?(if hearing loss prevention was the only goal)Hearing protection isnt worn consistently HPD performance is difficult to quantifyFar less than the rating label (NRR) suggestsHighly dependent on individual fitSometimes, no HPD offers enough protectionSome employees will still incur hearing loss Hearing protectors can hinder communication*

Buy/Design Quiet conceptsControl the noise (not the exposure)Controlling the noise controls the exposureBuy-Quiet (BQ)Buy equipment that is low-noiseManufacturer assumes financial and design riskQuiet-by-Design (QBD)Design systems that are low-noiseOwner assumes risks for in-house designsQBD approach encompasses BQ purchases NASAs primary initial focus has been on BQ

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Buy-quiet approachRequestor specifies achievable noise emission criterion that supports noise exposure criterionNoise emission criterion (limit) language included in specificationVendor assumes burden of meeting specSubmittal data required prior to purchaseShop verification before shipmentField verification after installationNoise considered during research if no formal specification is issuedApplies to bank-card and GSA purchases*

Why is it so important to buy (design) quiet equipment?*

Instead of fixing it later?*

1. Low-noise designs reflect better engineeringNoise is usually a waste byproductNoise indicates an inefficient processNoise induces harmful vibrationHuman exposureEquipment damageData interference

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because they work properly, are more maintainable and are almost always less expensive.2. Manufacturer-supplied (OEM) controls are superior to retrofit*

to buy quiet equipment if you are (and you should be) also investing in retrofit controls3. It makes economic sense*

4. Retrofit control is often impossibleif there are multiple, unique or expensive sources*

Wont low-noise equipment cost more?Consider the long-term cost of a hearing loss prevention programRequired retrofit noise control solutionsNoise exposure monitoring Audiometric monitoringAudiogram review and follow-upHearing conservation trainingPersonal hearing protective devicesRecordkeepingProgram management*

Wont low-noise equipment cost more?. . . plus the costs of inevitable hearing lossWorkers Compensation claimsLifetime medical follow-upHearing aids and batteries Successful long-term Buy-Quiet programs result in significant cost savings over timeQuantifying these costs is essential for effective Buy-Quiet program advocacy

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Assessing the cost of noiseEach exposure has a long-term costThese costs can be modeled and estimated for each equipment purchase scenarioEquipment noise emission level vs. criterionTWA exposureNumber of exposed employeesProbable number and size of hearing loss claims, based on statistical and demographic data)Other economic assumptions and factors

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Most manufacturers can offer manufacturer-supplied controls for nominal productOn-skid enclosure if no low-noise designLow-noise designs increasingly common

Some vendors wont quote low-noise products unless formally requestedFormal specifications level the field

Is low-noise equipment available?*

NASA BQ/QBD Vision:Noise emissions intentionally considered

*Noise-related consequences of all purchase and design decisions are anticipated and evaluatedLong-term cost of each option is quantifiedInformed decisions are madeNoise-related impacts are properly accommodatedBest practices approach is promoted for non-hazardous scenarios

NASA-wide BQ requirementsAdded to NASA Procedural Requirement NPR 1800.1 in 2006Each NASA site must:Include noise emissions with technical and performance criteria when purchasing or designing new equipment that is expected to produce noise which is approaching hearing conservation levels of 80 dBA and higher.Noise emissions shall be considered equally with all other requirements.Initial policy language intentionally broad*

Benefits of formalized BQ processA corporate policy sends a messageManufacturers and vendors take noteDemand increases supply (e.g. IT/consumer)Publicly visible programs set a precedentThe existence of one program fuels othersPrograms build on existing best practicesStrong federal agency leadership is critical to the success of all programs!NASA and NIOSH (DART) leading

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Implementation challengesDiversity in operations, culture across 15 sitesResponsibility distributed throughout Center Advocacy and training are major tasksTechnical content outside EH&S scope of practicePurchasers (requestors) unsure how to complyCenters have multiple contractors and tenantsStakeholders are unfamiliar or skeptical (or both)Contractor compliance must be monitoredCan only suggest without a contract requirementSenior management enforcement is critical

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Center BQ program developmentImplementation must be site-specific Organization, communications, and proceduresEach EH&S organization assigned a leadHQ provided technical supportSeries of six-month goalsPeriodic (~6 mo) status review teleconsWebinar and conference-based training sessionsFrequent meeting presentations and updatesEnforcement via HQ audit team site visitsAudit checklists mirror 6-month goals*

Intermediate goals indevelopment of site-specific programsIdentify lead and EH&S internal teamModify site-specific policy documentConduct awareness briefingsAssemble cross-functional teamDevelop detailed internal procedures*Include Contractor organizations (Modify onsite support service contracts) Conduct how-to briefings on procedures

*Turning policy into specific procedures presented challenges for Field Center programs*

Field Centers want to knowWhat are other companies, government agencies, and the military doing about this?Do manufacturers make low-noise equipment, and how much more does it cost?How to navigate the process of locating, evaluating, purchasing, and verifying the performance of low-noise equipment?And, just how quiet should each product be??*

BQ corporate surveysSolicited information on corporate programs60 individual (corporate, military, federal) contactsANSI S CommitteesAIHA Noise CommitteeInstitute of Noise Control Engineering membersORC Occupational Health and Safety NetworkNIOSH Prevention through Design projectCompiled detailed data on 10 programsMost programs use 80 dBA noise emission limitMost programs involve partnerships with major suppliers to develop custom equipment/systems*

BQ Manufacturer surveysSolicited information on low-noise equipment60 individual manufacturer contactsINCE Product Noise Technical CommitteeANSI S CommitteesNational Academy of Engineering Technology for Quieter America projectCompiled detailed data from 11 manufacturers re: design/marketingMost estimate 10% - 20% markup for quiet equipment

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NASA Buy-Quiet ProcessRequestor researches and identifies achievable noise emission criterion that supports noise exposure criterionDetermine appropriate procurement vehicle*Noise emission criterion (limit) language included in specificationSubmittal data required prior to purchaseSelection considers cost and noise emissionShop verification test before shipmentField verification test after installation*allows for simplified acquisition strategies*

Needed: a self-contained Buy-Quiet process resource Help NASA sites effectively implement policyProvide education, guidance and toolsApplicable beyond NASA and contractor programsAssume visible leadership role in BQ/QBDJoin NIOSH, Federal agencies, Armed ServicesSet example for corporate programsEncourage publication of noise emission dataSupport voluntary product noise labeling (INCE)Contribute to the state of the artProgram models and resources

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NASA Buy-Quiet Process RoadmapWeb-based tool Developed for NASA; applicable externallyPublicly available (Google: NASA Buy-Quiet Process Roadmap) Technical content by Nelson Acoustics; web application by Gelfand DesignBest practices from corporate, military, government programsManufacturerprovided data on availability and cost of low-noise equipmentContributions from 20+ organizations*

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Buy-Quiet Process RoadmapKey external contributorsBaltimore AircoilUnited TechnologiesCaterpillarCiscoHoneywellHewlett PackardIngersoll RandToroCarrierExxonMobilColgate PalmoliveTrane3MBecton DickinsonGeneral MotorsAir ForceNavyNational Park ServiceNIOSH*

Focused on hearing loss preventionAlso considers community noise impactLeads user through step-wise processProcurement planning Research available equipmentSpecification developmentVerification by testIncludes key decision points for the userNoise emission criterionSimplest allowable procurement vehicle(Selection is a procurement [CO] function)Includes customizable templates/formsAuthorization forms promote responsible exceptions*

NASA Buy-Quiet Process RoadmapGovernment procurement featuresDefault procurement vehicle is tradeoff processFormalizes comparison of equipment differing in noise, costCost of noise calculation calculates net present value of long-term exposure to each candidate productWeigh purchase price against long term cost as part of selection process(True $ = purchase $ + long-term noise exposure $)Simpler procurement vehicles allowed for low-risk cases, based on input dataGovernment commercial purchase card purchasesGSA schedule purchasesLowest-price technically acceptable procurements*

Next up: Quiet-by-Design! *

Quiet-by-DesignAssume technical burden in-housePrimary application: gas flow systems Advanced engineering (gas dynamics, aeroacoustics)Buy-Quiet Roadmap output provides criterionApplies to engineering of inhabited spacesBest-practices architectural and engineering designRequires understanding hearing loss prevention goalsGround equivalent of ISS Acoustics ProgramProgram and technical materials provide starting pointExtension of Buy-Quiet Program implementation*

Getting there . . .Low-noise product design is possibleSuccessful corporate programs do existHowever . . . Manufacturers must advertise quiet productsCorporate consumers (we) must be proactiveVoluntary product noise labeling needs support!The good news:Level playing field promotes competitionDemand will increase supply and control costsResources, models and help are available!

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****This diesel generator (left photo) was purchased with an on-skid enclosure, designed and supplied by the manufacturer as part of the equipment purchase ( for the Glenn Research Center supersonic wind tunnel drive motor building)

The aftermarket (hanging blankets) enclosure (right photo) for a waterknife intensifier in a metal fabrication shop, is cumbersome to work with and likely to be compromised during maintenance and use.

(An on-skid enclosure is one way that manufacturers supply equipment that can meet a quiet specification without having to develop or offer an inherently quiet model.)*Left: Erecting a silencer on top of GRC Propulsion Research Laboratory.Right: Installation of acoustical pipe lagging in basement of GRC Central Air Equipment Building.

Both projects cost upwards of $100K to lower noise levels produced by equipment and/or systems that could have been purchased and/or designed with a low-noise emission spec.*This photo is of Glenn Research Centers Central Air Equipment Building, which houses dozens of pieces of 50-year old unique and expensive equipment like compressors and exhausters. Ambient noise levels in this building are well above 110 dBA.There is no practical way to do retrofit noise control, and we would have to fix every item to gain noticeable benefits.Aside from HPDs and personnel enclosures, the only way noise levels could ever come down was to begin buying quiet equipment whenever the opportunity arose to purchase a new or replacement item.

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