The Problem

The Hotel Industry is faced with a plethora of Rules & Regulations. Hotels are where people go to have a good night out, to enjoy time with friends, and to be entertained. Often this entertainment includes music - loud music. Often just a crowd of people talking and laughing can be loud. When people are having fun and enjoying themselves they generate considerable noise.

Noise restrictions on Hotels come from a number of directions - from Local Council, the Liquor Administration Board, and WorkCover.

If there are noise complaints from local residents then either the Local Council, or the Liquor Administration Board will get involved. If the problem is Occupational Health and Safety, then WorkCover inspectors will arrive.

The Liquor Administration Board primarily deals with the emission of entertainment noise, whereas the Local Council will be interested in entertainment noise, noise from air-conditioners and refrigeration compressors, and traffic noise caused by patrons arriving and leaving.

Each controlling Authority looks at noise in a different manner. Both the Local Council, or the Liquor Administration Board use the environmental background noise level as their baseline for setting limits. The occasional car or truck or train or plane going by are part of environmental “foreground” noise. The environmental background noise is the general noise that is always there “in the background”. Local Council officers talk in terms of overall dB(A) noise levels and “background plus 5 dB(A)” before midnight and “background plus 0 dB(A)” after midnight.

The Liquor Administration Board (LAB) talks about “background plus 5 dB” before midnight and “background plus 0 dB” after midnight BUT in each of the octave frequency bands. This criteria is a much more restrictive requirement than the Local Council requirement even if the requirements sound the same. A much tougher inaudibility condition can also be invoked by the LAB (usually background minus 10 dB).

Underpinning all of the noise regulations and providing the technical guidelines for the Liquor Administration Board and Local Councils is the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) which operates under the Noise Control Act 1975. The EPA deals with Scheduled Premises.

Authority	Licensed Premises - Noise Limit
	7 am to Midnight	Midnight to 7 am
Local Council	Background (LBG) + 5 dBA	LBG + 0 dBA
LAB	LBG + 5 dB (octave) &/or Inaudibility (LBG - 10 dB)	LBG + 0 dB (octave) &/or Inaudibility (LBG - 10 dB)

The other controlling authority which will become very important for internal noise is WorkCover. With the gazetting of the Occupational Health and Safety (Noise) Regulation 1996, hearing conservation noise limits now apply to any “place of work” and a “place of work” can be deemed unsafe, if staff are exposed to noise doses greater than 85 dB(A) for 8 hours, or its equivalent.

MAXIMUM STAFF NOISE DOSE	=	8 hours at 85 dB(A)	=	4 hours at 88 dB(A)	=	2 hours at 91 dB(A)	=	1 hour at 94 dB(A)

This applies to bar staff, waiters, cellar staff, and even security standing on the door. Many hotels and night clubs regularly operate with music at 95 dB(A), or greater, for hours on end. After an hour of continuous exposure, the worker can be said to be in an “unsafe work place” and is legally entitled to seek compensation for hearing loss under the Occupational Health & Safety Act.

The Goals

What do you want with in a Hotel? A hassle free operation with as few problems as possible. A good cash flow, and lots of trouble free patrons.

What do your Neighbours want ? Peace and quiet undisturbed by other people - “Quiet Enjoyment”. A happy neighbours doesn’t cause you grief. Noise problems come when neighbours feel that some one is riding rough shod over their right to Peace and Quiet, or that it is likely to happen.

What do your Patrons want ? Pleasant comfortable surroundings, where they can have a good time.

How can we help?

A Hotel is a machine. On the outside, a Hotel generates noise from air-conditioners, refrigeration compressors, and from patrons arriving and leaving, and from cars in the parking areas. We can calculate and specify noise emissions from mechanical services equipment for purchasing purposes (or even design modifications to existing equipment) to meet the noise requirements. Car Park noise can be fixed with the right management plan, or the right type of fence, or even a change to layout. It costs less to fix a problem before it occurs, than to fix it afterwards.

A major area of complaints is Music. Inside, the patrons are enjoying themselves with their favourite music. Outside, all the neighbour is hearing is the Thump, Thump, Thump of the bass, as they reach for the phone. We can assist with the internal and external acoustical design of the Hotel to get the maximum practical internal music levels for the patrons (to keep them coming back), and outside achieve quietness to keep the neighbours satisfied.

Internal design may also include such things as zoning to permit loud areas (for music) and quiet areas (for drinking and talking). If it sounds good, it usually “feels” good, and encourages people to return.

Put us to the test and ask for some free advice. For further information about Camets Acoustics please contact us.