Noise

NOISE STANDARDS/ GUIDELINES

*Ambient Noise Standards
Noise (ambient standards) published in the Gazette No. 643 dt 26.12.89, succeeded by The Noise pollution (Regulation and Control) rules, 2000 (Gazette of India, vide SO123(E), dated 14.2.2000 and subsequent amended vide SO 1046(E) dated, 22.11.2000).

Area Code	Category of area	Limits in dB (A) Leq
Area Code	Category of area	Day time	Night time
A	Industrial area	75	70
B	Commercial area	65	55
C	Residential area	55	45
D	Silence zone	50	40

Note-1: Day time reckoned in between 6.00 am to 9.00p.m
Note 2: Night time reckoned in between 9.00p.m. to 6.00am
Note 3: Silence zone is defined as areas up to 100 meter around such premises as Hospitals, Educational institutes, and Courts. The Silence zones are to be declared by the competent authority.
Note 4: Mixed categories of areas should be declared as "one of the four above mentioned categories" by the Competent Authority and the corresponding standards shall be applied.

*Work Place Noise Standards
DGMS Circular No. 18 (Tech), 1975
* A warning limit of 85-dB (A) may be set as the level below which very little risk to an unprotected ear of hearing impairment exists for an eight-hour exposure.
* The danger limit value shall be 90-dB (A) above which the danger of hearing impairment and deafness may result from an unprotected ear.
* A worker should not be allowed to enter, without appropriate ear protection, an area in which the noise level is 115-dB (A) or more.
* Personal protective equipment shall be worn, if there are single isolated outbursts of noise, which can go above 130-dB (A) "Impulse", or 120-dB (A) "Fast". ¨ No worker shall be allowed to enter an area where noise level exceeds 140-dB (A).

Schedule XXIV of Model Rules under Factories Act, 1948 prescribed following permissible exposure levels for Impulsive or Impact noise:

Peak Sound Pressure Level, dB	Permitted Number of impulses per day	Peak Sound Pressure Level, dB	Permitted Number of impulses per day
140	100	135	315
130	1000	125	3160
120	10000	>140	No exposure

*Railway Operations with Respect to Noise
Erection of acoustics barrier, reducing speed and avoiding whistling within and along the municipal limits and habitation zones are recommended for adoption to the extent possible. Noise Standards for Domestic Appliances and Construction Equipment (AT THE MANUFACTURING STAGE) As notified under Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, by G.S.R. 742 (E), dated 30.08.90 and subsequently amended by G.S.R. 422 (E), dated 19th May, 1993 the following noise standards for domestic appliances and construction equipment (at the manufacturing stage) were highlighted.

Category of Domestic appliance & Construction equipment	Noise limit, dB(A)
Window air-conditioners of 1 tonne to 1.5 tonne	68
Air-coolers	60
Refrigerators	46
Diesel generators for domestic purposes	85-90
Compactors (rollers) front loaders, concrete mixers, cranes (movable), vibrators and saws.	75

*Noise Standards for Motor Vehicles
As per Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, by G.S.R. 338 (E), dated 26th March, 1993 (with effect from 26th March, 1993) every motor vehicle need to conform to noise standards as indicated below, and these standards need to be tested as per Indian Standards IS: 3028.

Vehicle Type	Maximum Permissible Noise Levels, dB(A)
Two wheelers (petrol-driven)	80
All passenger cars, all petrol-driven three-wheelers and diesel driven two-wheelers	82
Passenger or light commercial vehicles into three-wheeled vehicles fitted with diesel engine with gross vehicle weight up to 4000 Kg.	85
Passenger or commercial vehicles with gross vehicle weight above 4000 Kg and up to 12000 Kg.	89
Passenger or commercial vehicles with gross vehicle weight above 12000 Kg.	91

Noise limits for vehicles from the 1st day of January, 2003 as Notified under Environment (Protection) Rules, 1996, by G.S.R. 742(E), dated 25th September, 2000.

Type of vehicle	Noise limits from 1st Jan, 2003, dB(A)
Two wheelerDisplacement up to 80 cm3 displacement more than 80 cm3 but up to 175 cm3 displacement more than 175 cm3	75 77 80
Three wheeler Displacement up to 175 cm3 Displacement more than 175 cm3	77 80
Passenger car	75
Passenger or commercial vehicle Gross vehicle weight up to 4 tonne Gross vehicle weight more than4 tonne but upto 12 tonne Gross vehicle weight more than 12 tonne	77 80 82

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