Cities are loud; between traffic, machinery, construction, animals, and other noise emitters, there can be background noise levels of 60 dB—which might be enough to harm your health.
Noise ordinances are laws or by-laws that seek to limit the amount of noise in a given area. Noise ordinances vary from place to place, and even within a given city, a noise ordinance might differ for industrial zones and residential zones. Understanding noise ordinances can help you recognize what your business can do to mitigate them.
What Are Noise Ordinances?
Noise ordinances are regulations created by governments to control noise levels. High noise levels can have a negative effect on the health of a population. Local governments use noise ordinances to limit excessive noise and keep the noise level in residential areas at acceptable levels.
Local authorities, including the local police department, may use several methods to determine whether or not noise levels are acceptable. These methods include subjective noise regulation, in which officials decide whether or not noise levels are too loud based on subjective factors, and objective noise regulation, in which officials take sound level readings to measure how much noise is being generated (in dB).
Authorities will also check the noise level at a source (called emission), and the sound level being received by a listener (called immission). Sound is complex, and while a single sound might not be enough to violate a noise ordinance, several sounds being generated by the same people can merge into noise that is considered intolerable.
Noise ordinances commonly include quiet hours. These are periods of time when people are commonly trying to sleep; in these times, less noise is permitted. This means that allowable local noise levels in daytime hours will frequently differ from the allowable levels in nighttime hours.
The United States unveiled the Noise Control Act in 1972; this act is widely considered to be the first comprehensive and enforceable noise control ordinance in the world. Since that time, noise ordinances have passed from federal control to state (in Canada, provincial) and local control. Many of the principles outlined in the Noise Control Act still underpin modern-day noise ordinances.
What a Noise Violation Looks Like
The methods used by governments to investigate and resolve noise violations vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In general, here are the steps that go into a noise violation:
- A person makes a noise complaint to a local authority.
- Those local authorities follow up on noise complaints by sending someone out to investigate.
- With knowledge of the rules and regulations surrounding noise restrictions, the officials will investigate the noise level, often using tools to take sound level measurements either at a source or from the point of view of a listener.
- Once the official has established whether or not a noise complaint has been violated, they will take steps to reduce noise to an allowable sound level. These steps depend on code enforcement regulations, but the process typically begins by simply asking the violator to lower noise levels.
Noise complaints are common, and local noise ordinances can vary depending on both the location of the noise and the source of the noise. Barking dogs and a noisy neighbor making excessive noise may be treated differently than noise generated by large industrial factories.
Noise Ordinance Violation Penalties
Noise ordinance violation penalties vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Additionally, many jurisdictions allow individuals and organizations to apply for noise permits, especially when hosting festivals or other events. Officials will gather evidence and check for permits before issuing penalties. Penalties that are issued may include:
- Warnings
- Fines
- Mandatory noise mitigation measures
- The revocation of permits
- Orders to cease operations (temporarily or permanently)
The Role of Environmental Noise Control
Environmental noise control technology can help you reduce the amount of noise generated by machinery and other sources. The team at VAW Systems specializes in creating customized environmental noise control solutions for businesses across all industries. Our energy efficient systems can help you reduce sound levels close to the source and decrease the amount of noise being made by your business.
Comply with noise ordinances and keep your workers’ hearing intact; contact VAW Systems for environmental noise control technology today!