Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess annoyance related to low frequency
noise (LFN) in employees of the control rooms and office-like areas.Subjects
were 276 workers, aged 26-62 years, exposed to noise at A-weighted
sound pressure level (SPL) of 41-66 dB. They were asked to assess
noise annoyance at their workplace using a 100 point graphical scale.
The subjective ratings were compared with various noise metrics and
objective evaluations based on proposed LFN exposure criteria for
occupational settings.There was a difference in annoyance assessment
related to noise with and without (or with less prominent) low frequency
content. Low frequency noise was rated as more annoying even though
it was at lower dBA levels.Among the noise metrics, the low frequency
A-weighted SPL yielded the highest correlation with subjective evaluations
of LFN. There was also a quite good agreement between individual
annoyance ratings and limit excesses corresponding to preliminary
Swedish and Polish exposure criteria.
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