1. Ships in Service Training Material Seafarer’s Health : Endurance Risk Factors Operational factors which can degrade crew performance Noise Voir IMO 1982 R A 468 (XII) Mesure A 343 (IX)

2. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL Definition of Noise An undomesticated, unintelligible or dissonant sound witch disturb. Sound or a sound that is loud, unpleasant, unexpected, or undesired. In Physics : A disturbance, especially a random and persistent disturbance, that obscures or reduces the clarity of a signal. A stench in the ear.

3. 1 - Eustachian tube is the tube that connects the Middle Ear to the back of the nose. It equalizes the pressure between the Middle Ear and the outside air. When your ears “pop” as you change altitude, the air pressure in your Middle Ear is equalizing. 2 - Pinna is the visible part of the Outer Ear. It collects sound and directs it into Outer Ear Canal. 3 - Outer Ear Canal is the hollow tube that sound travels through to reach the Middle Ear. 4 - Middle Ear : sound passes through it to reach the Inner Ear. 5 - Inner Ear : sound vibrations are turned into electrical impulses and sent to the Auditory Nerves. 6 - Auditory Nerves carry the electro-chemical signals from the Inner Ear to the Brain. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL Hearing Process

4. Perception of the Level of Noise 40 44 48 50 54 58 62 66 70 74 78 82 86 90 Day-night average sound exposure level in dB Percentage of respondents highly annoyed 100 80 60 40 20 0 Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL According to the World Health Organization (WHO) “120 million people worldwide have disabling hearing difficulties." Growing evidence also points that many other health effects are due to too much volume.

5. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL Benchmark on Noise Exposure Device / Situation Desert at night Quiet room Floor fan Normal conversation Clothes washer Alarm clock Telephone Food disposal Air compressor Circular saw Average rock concert dB 10 28 - 33 38 - 70 40 - 65 47 - 78 60 - 80 66 - 75 67 - 93 90 - 93 100 - 104 140

6. Excessive noise can destroy the ability to hear, and may also put stress on other parts of the body, including the heart. The damage done by noise depends mainly on how loud it is and on the length of exposure. The frequency or pitch can also have some effect. Effects of the Level of Noise Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL Noise may tire out the Inner Ear, causing temporary hearing loss. After a period of time off, hearing may be restored. Some workers who suffer temporary hearing loss may find that by the time their hearing returns to normal, it is time for another work shift, so, in that sense, the problem is "permanent."

7. Effects of the Level of Noise Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL Permanent hearing loss results from the destruction of cells in the Inner Ear-Cells which can never be replaced or repaired. Such damage can be caused by long-term exposure to loud noise or, in some cases, by brief exposures to very loud noises. Workers exposed to noise sometimes complain of nervousness, sleeplessness and fatigue. Excessive noise exposure also can reduce job performance.

8. Noise level 90 dB 95 dB 100 dB 105 dB 110 dB 115 dB Exposure limits 8 hours 4 Hours 2 Hours 1 Hour 30 Minutes 15 Minutes Permissible Exposure Limits to Noise The Action level for noise is an average noise level of 85 dB for an eight-hour day. When employees are exposed to noise levels, which exceed the Permissible Exposure Limit, the employer must install or use engineering or administrative controls to lower the noise levels. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL

9. Permissible Exposure Limits to Noise While these controls are being designed or installed employees must wear hearing protection. If the controls still do not reduce noise exposures to below 90 dB, hearing protection must continue to be worn. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL

10. Permissible Noise Level* * Table adapted from IMO Assembly Resolution A.486(XII) SpaceMaximum dBPreferred dB Work Spaces Machinery space (manned)9085 Machinery space (not manned)11095 Machinery control rooms7555 Workshops8570 Non-specified spaces9085 Navigation Spaces Navigation Bridge and chartroom6555 Listening post, including bridge wings and windows 7060 Radio rooms6045 Radar rooms6555 Accommodation Spaces Cabins and hospitals6045 Mess rooms6555 Recreation rooms6550 Open recreation areas7565 Offices6555 Service Areas Galleys7565 Services and pantries7565 Normally unoccupied spaces Spaces not specified9085

11. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL

12. Code of Practice for Noise Levels Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL The “Code of practice for noise levels in ships” ISBN 0 11 550950 represents a standard of good practice and takes the form of recommendations. These recommendations provide a basis to which those concerned with owning or managing ships can work, in order to protect the seafarer from the harmful effects of noise and to establish acceptable conditions in respect of noise on board ship at sea and in port.

13. - Protect seafarers and others on board ship from noise levels which may give rise to a noise-induced hearing loss. - Provide the seafarer with an acceptable degree of comfort in rest, recreation and other spaces and also provide conditions for recuperation from the effects of exposure to high noise levels. - Make work places safer by facilitating speech communication in control stations, navigation and radio spaces, and manned machinery spaces so permitting decisions to be made without excessive distraction from noise. Objectives of the Code of practice for noise levels in ships Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL The objectives of the code are to : - Limit noise levels on board ship - Reduce exposure to noise in order to :

14. The Code of practice deals with: - The measurement of noise levels - Recommendations for acceptable maximum noise levels for all spaces to which persons normally have access. - The means of protecting the seafarer from the risk of noise- induced hearing loss under conditions where at the present time it is not technically feasible to limit the noise to a level that is not potentially harmful. - Noise abatement measures generally applicable on board ships. The provisions of the code are not intended to apply to passenger cabins and other passenger spaces except in so far as they are work spaces as covered by the code. Scope of the Code of practice for noise levels in ships Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL

15. 1. Ships particulars 2. Machinery particulars 3. Measuring instrumentation 4. Conditions during measurement 5. Recommended noise limits 6. Main noise abatement measures (refer to codes of practice) 7. Remarks 8. ( a ) General arrangement of ship ( b ) Noise reading sheets ( c ) Drawings showing measuring positions Content of the Code of practice for noise levels in ships Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL

16. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL Noise Management on board Ships Bureau Veritas Rules for the Classification of Steel Ships Part E Additional Class Notation

17. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL Bureau Veritas Rules Requirements for Notation COMFORT ON BOARD with regard to noise

18. Permissible Noise Level in dB (A) 75 85 76 75 60 65 60 65 Noise grade 3 73 70 Gangways, staircases and passages In crew areas 85 Workshops 7370Galleys 7370Open recreational areas 7370Engine control room 5855Hospital 6057Public spaces, mess rooms 6057Offices 5552Cabins 5755Radio room 6360Wheelhouse Noise grade 2Noise grade 1Locations Example for Cargo Ships

19. Sound insulation can provides high levels of sound absorption in work areas subject to intense noise levels machinery. The purposes of applying sound insulation material in marine vessels are for example to : · Reduce general noise level. · Provide for better work conditions. · Reduce noise levels emitting from machines, equipment, pipes or enclosures. Protective Measures Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL

20. Suitable hearing protectors (earplugs or muffs) must be made available at no cost to employees who are exposed to an average of 85 dB or greater for an eight-hour day. Workers exposed to noise from pressure washing. Workers wearing earmuffs for protection from excessive noise. Protective Measures Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL

21. Noise levels in engine rooms and other machinery spaces can be in excess of 110 dB(A). Employees must wear the correct type of ear defenders to ensure that hearing is not damaged. An engineer taking Sound Pressure Levels during the work routine of a ships crew member. Noise Management on board Ships Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL

22. Bridge noise levels being recorded (Octave Band Analysis). The IMO guideline recommendations state that it is desirable that the background noise levels at listening posts should not on average exceed the noise level defined by octave band levels as follows; (1) 68 dB in the band centered on 250 Hz (2) 63 dB in the band centered on 500 Hz Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL Noise Management on board Ships

23. Noise levels in cabin spaces, rest and recreational areas are recorded to check against recommended maximum noise levels (65-80 dB (A)). This is to ensure that crew members can rest and relax whilst off duty, without the disturbance of high level noise. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL Noise Management on board Ships

24. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL

25. Ships in Service Training Material A-M CHAUVEL