Basic Documentation

Laboratory Ventilation Codes and Standards
Siemens Industry, Inc. 112
Topic Requirement(s) Commentary
Room
Sound Level
and
Vibration
(Continued)
Institute of Laboratory Animal Research, Commission on Life Sciences, National
Research Council, Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, Eight
Edition, 2011:
Page 49: Noise produced by animals and animal care activities is inherent in the
operation of an animal facility and noise control should be considered in facility design
and operation.
Separation of human and animal areas minimizes disturbances to both human and
animal occupants of the facility. Exposure to sound louder than 85 dB may necessitate
hearing protection for personnel (OSHA 1998). Many species can hear sound
frequencies inaudi
ble to humans; rodents, for example, are very sensitive to
ultrasound. The potential effects of equipment (such as video display terminals; and
materials that produce noise in the hearing range of nearby animals can thus become
an uncontrolled variable for
research experiments and should therefore be carefully
considered.
While some vibration is inherent to every facility and animal housing condition,
excessive vibration has been associated with biochemical and reproductive changes
in laboratory animals and can become an uncontrolled variable for research
experiments. The source of vibrations may be located within or outside the animal
facility. In the latter case, groundborne vibration may affect both the structure and its
contents, including animal racks and cages. Like noise, vibration varies with intensity,
frequency, and duration. Attempts should be made to minimize the generation of
vibration.
Page 143: Noise control is an important consideration in an animal facility and should
be addressed during the planning stages of new facility design or renovation. Noise-
producing support functions, such as cage washing, are commonly separated from
housing and experimen
tal functions. Masonry walls, due to their density, generally
have excellent sound-attenuatin
g properties, but similar sound attenuation can be
achieved using many different materials and partition designs. For example,
sanitizable sound-attenuating materials bonded to walls or ceilings may be appropriate
for noise control in some situations, whereas acoustic materials applied directly to the
ceiling or as part of a suspended ceiling in an animal room present problems for
sanitation and vermin control and are not recommended. Experience has shown that
well-constructed corridor doors, sound-attenuating doors, or double-
door entry
vestibules can help to control the transmission of sound along corridors.
Attention should be paid to attenuating noise generated by equipment (ASHRAE
2007b). Fire and environmental-monitoring alarm systems and public address systems
should be selected and positioned to minimize potential animal disturbance. The
location of equipment capable of generating sound at ultrasonic frequencies is
important as some species can hear such high frequencies. Selecting equipment for
rodent facilities that does not generate noise in the ultraso
nic range should be
considered.
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