The website of the Health Estate Journal

Flooring’s important role in sound reduction

Chris McElroy, Specification and Design consultant at Altro, discusses some of the fundamentals for achieving good acoustics in healthcare settings, to the benefit of all users, with a particular focus on the role that well-designed floorcoverings can play.

In recent years, much time and effort have been devoted to enhancing the wellbeing of patients and staff by updating hospital air-conditioning and re-thinking interior design. Despite these improvements, however, hospitals continue to be affected adversely by growing problems with excess noise. The impact of noise on patient care and staff wellbeing has been well documented for over a century. Florence Nightingale stated: ‘Unnecessary noise, then, is the most cruel absence of care which can be inflicted either on sick or well.’ Yet despite the need to control acoustics in clinical settings, hospitals are experiencing increasing problems with noise. Researchers at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, in the US, analysed noise measurements taken at a variety of hospitals throughout the world over a 50-year period. Their findings revealed a clear trend for rising hospital noise levels since 1960, showing an increase, on average, of 0.38 dB per year for daytime levels, and 0.42 dB per year for night-time levels. Average sound pressure levels in hospitals have increased from 57 dB in 1960 to 70 dB in 2006, with a rise in average night-time levels from 42 dB to 60 dB.

Well in excess of WHO guidelines

These statistics are significant to UK health estates in two ways. Firstly, these decibel levels are well in excess of the World Health Organization’s recommended maximum level for a good night’s sleep, which is up to 30 dB background noise, with no peaks over 45 dB. The actual noise levels have consistently fallen outside the recommended guidelines over the past 60 years, and continue to worsen. Secondly, the results collected by the John Hopkins team demonstrated ‘remarkably little variation given that the results are for widely different sorts of hospitals and medical units’. Even taking into consideration different designs and architecture, and the varying clinical activities carried out in these spaces, ‘the problem of hospital noise is universal’, rather than the result of circumstances in individual facilities. This is a widespread problem affecting healthcare estates of all types. 

Log in or register FREE to read the rest

This story is Premium Content and is only available to registered users. Please log in at the top of the page to view the full text. If you don't already have an account, please register with us completely free of charge.
Register

Upcoming Events

The Fire Safety Event 2024

National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham
30th April - 2 May 2024

Wales regional conference, exhibition and awards dinner 2024

International Conference Centre (ICC) Newport
28th - 29th May 2024

NAHFO National Conference 2024

Crowne Plaza Newcastle Upon Tyne
3rd - 5th June 2024

Design in Mental Health 2024

Manchester Central
4th - 5th June 2024

InstallerSHOW 2024

National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham
25th - 27th June

Healthcare Estates 2024

Manchester Central
8th-9th October 2024

Access the latest issue of Health Estate Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Health Estate Journal app from your device's App store

Upcoming Events

The Fire Safety Event 2024

National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham
30th April - 2 May 2024

Wales regional conference, exhibition and awards dinner 2024

International Conference Centre (ICC) Newport
28th - 29th May 2024

NAHFO National Conference 2024

Crowne Plaza Newcastle Upon Tyne
3rd - 5th June 2024

Design in Mental Health 2024

Manchester Central
4th - 5th June 2024

InstallerSHOW 2024

National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham
25th - 27th June

Healthcare Estates 2024

Manchester Central
8th-9th October 2024

Access the latest issue of Health Estate Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Health Estate Journal app from your device's App store

Step Communications Ltd, Step House, North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR
Tel: 01892 779999
www.step-communications.com
© 2024 Step Communications Ltd. Registered in England. Registration Number 3893025