Controlling personal exposure to noise at work with noise dosimeters

UK manufacturer, Pulsar Instruments, offer personal noise dosimeters to help safety professionals capture, measure and control personal exposure to noise in the workplace.

Noise dosemeters are small, light devices shaped as a cone with an integrated microphone that clip to a person's shoulder or can be screwed on a hard hat close to the ear. The noise dosimeter or personal noise exposure meter (PSEM) stores the noise level information over a complete work shift and carries out an averaging process. It is a useful tool in industries where noise varies in duration and intensity and where the worker changes location. It is also ideal where using a sound level meter would not be practicable such as in confined spaces (crane cabin for example).

Specification:

Measurement range (typical):

70dB(A) to 130dB(A) RMS

120dB(C) to 140dB(C) Peak

Frequency weightings 'A' for all RMS measurements and 'C' for Peak Sound Pressure

Exchange rate: 3dB, 4dB or 5dB

Pulsar dosimeter reader can store up to 93 measurements of 8 hrs duration, 64 measurements of 12 hours duration or 33 measurements of 24 hrs duration.

The noise dosimeter can be started at the beginning of the shift with the help of a dedicated ‘Reader’. The Reader will also calibrate the noise doseBadge, a process which is recommended before and, ideally, after use to validate any measurements. Throughout the day, the doseBadge will measure all noise levels and will compute the LAeq and LCPeak values over the whole measurement period.

At the end of a shift, the noise dosimeter’s Reader is then pointed to the noise doseBadge, and, wirelessly, measurements are downloaded and perused easily on the Reader’s LCD display by using the keypad navigation arrows. All measurements can be then be transferred onto a PC via a dedicated software package such as Pulsar dBlink3 to produce a plotted Time History of noise events during the day without the need of complex manipulation for reporting purposes.

These tiny devices have a number of advantages. They have a limited effect on the sound field and in the case of the Pulsar’s noise dosimeter, have no cable interfering with the worker’s physical environment.

Pulsar noise dosimeter systems are supplied with a 24 month warranty.

To find out more or enquire about this product, contact Pulsar Instruments.