WHO recommendations
Because noise is a threat to public health, the World Health Organisation has set limit values not to exceed in accommodations, schools... to avoid risks.
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|
Specific environment
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Effect on health
|
Average level (LAeq)
|
Maximum level (LAmax)
|
|
DAY
|
Residential area (outdoors)
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Serious annoyance
Moderate annoyance
|
55
50
|
|
|
Classroom
|
Disturbance of speech intelligibility
|
35
|
|
|
|
Playground
|
Annoyance
|
55
|
|
|
|
School restaurant*
|
Annoyance related to the cocktail effect
|
65
|
|
|
|
Hospital
|
Interference with rest and recovering
|
30
|
40
|
|
|
Commercial area
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Significant annoyance
|
70
|
|
|
|
Music
|
Hearing loss
|
100 (15 min)
85 (8h)
|
110
|
|
|
Sound impulses (fireworks, firearms…)
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Hearing loss
|
|
140 (adults)
120 (children)
|
|
|
NIGHT
|
Residential area (outdoors)
|
Sleep troubles:
Interim target I
Interim target II
Night noise guideline
|
55
40
30
|
|
|
Insomnia
|
42
|
|
||
|
Use of sedatives
|
40
|
|
||
|
High blood pressure
|
50
|
|
||
|
Myocardial infarction
|
50
|
|
||
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Psychological disorders
|
60
|
|
||
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Bedroom
|
Disturbance in the stages of sleep
|
|
35
|
|
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Awakening in the middle of the night or too early in the morning
|
|
42
|
* recommendation from the GIAc
The assessment of the risk of hearing loss must take into account the total exposure to noise whether it is professional or extra-professional. The WHO recommends to never exceed 140 dB(C) for adults and 120 dB(C) for children in the case of an exposure to impulse noise.
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Did you know?
The 3 ossicles in the middle ear are the smallest bones in the human body.
The malleus, the incus and the stapes, the three ossicles in the middle ear, are less than 10 mm long and less than 50 mg in total.
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