1984.03.14 PC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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While noisy work environments hive long been the focu:> of research and regulatory efforts,,i.n recent years avocational noise has been attractin,; lgore attention. The explosive ri:,o of noisy equipment in and out of American homes -ranging from snow- mobiles, rock bands and chain saws to hair dryers, food proces- sors and stereo headphones -had made nearly every American potential- ly vulnerable to noise damage. The Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 1978 that 10 million Americans are exposed to harmful levels of no.iac off the jot). Other. experts say this is a highly conservative f.i,;ure. In addition to those who voluntarily expose themselves to high noise levels, such unwitting victims as premature infants in incubators, residents who live near airports and students whore classrooms abut train tracks may suffer noise damage. Ahd the damage incurred may involve far more than hearing acuity. Though more and better research is needed to define precisely the non -acoustical harm caused by noise, studies -thus. ------ far suggest that noise stress can result in high blood pressure, cardiovascular injury, ulcers and possibly even increased _ susceptibility to infection_ and reproductive problems. — Other studies have pointed to noise -related learnin,,; <ii f•- ficulties, irritability, fatiguet reduced work efficiency, increased accidents and errors and socially undesirable behavior. One series of experiments showed, for example, that passer.,; -by were much less likely to help a stranger who had dropped his books if there was a power lawn mower operating nearby th.,in it' the lawn mower's motor was turned off. In another ex�r;r i.;neni� _ armo red- subjects acted more aggressively after being expo: --Ad I;cr noi:;e: that they could not control. Such findings raise important. (ptostions about the po;c:; i !)le contribution of noise to illnea:,, ant.i.-::.iocal bet- v.ior :i.nI fnter- per•:;onal conflicts at a time when noL e levels arc increaL;.ing for ,zillions of Americans. However. one leading investiCa-tor, Dr. Sheldon Cohem, a psychologist at Carnegie-Mellon Institute ir: Pittsburgh, says "there's very little research on the effe-I: :;, noise being done in this country right now because the administration has no interest in it." Last year, a committee of the National Acade;i; _ z:r-i.d that existing studies of the effects of noi:,; o;, t.. i:g ested serious harm, especially to the cardiov:, -,.,-,ii , nd called for more careful investigation. The "1,:,t the stress of noise "might alter the organisw' , cap' t( i t..v t�; withstand insults from other physical agents or environment coraarninants.11 A number of findings have already been fairly well documented, including these: Among at least 40 studies linking noise exposure to increases .irr blood pressure, Dr. Ernest A. Peterson and colleague;; at the University of Miami achool of Medicine; -showed that monkey,; Jeve lopud sustained high blood pressure after being -exposed for nine months to paUerns andT�vToI no se mare fro�auerifi7y` encountered by people. 1?he noise lever studied were below -those th?t_ca*n_ damage hearirrf;, 0