Construction site noise management

Abstract

In recent years, the number of noise nuisance complaints has increased dramatically. Prominent among these are complaints about noise nuisance from construction sites. Most construction sites are the source of high, repetitive and annoying noise levels. The need for acoustic comfort, on the part of those who live or work in buildings near a construction site, requires that all strategies be implemented within the construction site to ensure that the noise generated is as low as possible. The article describes the approach followed by a recent Italian standard regarding the actions to be taken, by both the client and the contractor, to ensure that the construction site of the work commissioned by the client and realised by the contractor is as quiet as possible. The standard requires that the design of the construction site must include the use of both electrical machines and shielding of proven effectiveness for these applications. The best results can only be seen with a preventive approach. It can be achieved if the Contractor not only understands that the site where he is working requires him to take special care to reduce noise, but also if he demonstrates how he will put everything into good practice.