Characteristic values for noise emission and

standards for measuring them

Characteristic values that describe noise emission

To describe the noise emitted by a machine, the following characteristic values are of particular
importance, as they describe the noise directly emitted independently of extraneous noise and
of the room in which it is housed.

 Emission sound pressure level at the workplace Lp: This is a measure of the sound pres-
sure level caused by the machine at its workplace independently of room-related effects or
extraneous noise. It is thus equivalent to the sound pressure level at the workplace if the
machine is set up outside in a silent environment (ideal case).

 Sound power level LW: This is a measure of the total sonic energy directly emitted by the
machine per unit of time.

The relationship between the sound pressure level and sound power level is relatively easy to
represent for a machine under free field conditions (unhindered sound propagation) and without
any appreciable extraneous noise. The sound power level LW can then be calculated from the
mean sound pressure level Lp on a measuring surface enclosing the machine and from the
measuring surface area S by means of the following formula:

LW = Lp + 10 lg (S/1 m²) dB or (1)

LW = Lp + LS dB (2)

Where: Lp = mean sound pressure level on measuring surface S

S = measuring surface area

LS = 10 lg (S/1 m²) – measuring surface dimension (3)

Figure 1 shows an example of a measuring surface S with five measurement points for deter-
mining the sound power level. The measurement distance d from the machine surface (refer-
ence box) is usually defined as 1 m.

Under these special conditions (free field and no extraneous noise), the sound power level
therefore only differs from the mean sound pressure level Lp on the measuring surface
by the so-called measuring surface dimension LS = 10 lg (S/1 m²). The measuring surface
dimension LS can be calculated with Formula 3 from the measuring surface area S or simply
read off the diagram in Figure 2.

Characteristic values for noise emission (September 2011) Page 1 of 4

 Figure 1: Example of a
measuring surface with five
measurement points for a
small machine (l1 ≤ d, l2 ≤ d, l3
≤ 2 d) for determining the
sound power level in accor-
dance with DIN EN ISO 3746

Figure 2: Measuring surface

dimension LS as a function of
measuring surface area S

Since the emission sound power level at the workplace is in many cases of the same
magnitude as the mean sound pressure level on the measuring surface, the difference between
the emission sound pressure level and the sound power level is similar. Experience shows that
the emission sound pressure level Lp of a machine is roughly 8 to 25 dB below the
corresponding sound power level LW – depending on the size of the machine, the directional
characteristics of the emitted sound and the position of the workplace measurement point.

Characteristic values for noise emission (September 2011) Page 2 of 4

While the sound power level is usually the most important noise parameter for the purchaser of
a machine, occupational safety and health professionals tend to be more interested in the
emission sound pressure level at the workplace because the latter value is of the similar mag-
nitude as the sound pressure level anticipated at the workplace. It may also make sense to
choose a machine A with a slightly higher sound power level than machine B if machine A has
a lower sound emission in the direction of the workplace and hence a lower emission sound
pressure level.

Noise emission information

Under the EC Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, the manufacturer or seller of a machine is obli-
gated to state the machine’s noise emission in the user’s manual and sales brochures. What is
firstly required as the characteristic value for noise emission is the emission sound pressure
level at the workplace LpAd. Only in the case of levels LpAd exceeding 80 dB(A) does the sound
power level LWAd also have to be given, as shown in Table 1. In the case of emission sound
pressure levels up to 70 dB(A), the information “70 dB(A)” is sufficient without details of the
actual noise emission.

Table 1: Noise information required under the EC Machinery Directive depending on the emission sound pressure
level Lpd

Lpd Required noise information

Characteristic value for noise emission Quoted value

 70 dB(A) Emission sound pressure level LpAd = 70 dB

at the workplace
or

LpAd = … dB

> 70 dB(A) Emission sound pressure level LpAd = … dB

at the workplace

> 80 dB(A) Sound power level LWAd = … dB (re 1 pW)

and and

emission sound pressure level

at the workplace LpAd = … dB

LpCpeak > 130 dB Peak sound pressure level LpCpeakd = … dB

In addition to the measured characteristic value for noise emission (LWA or LpA), the uncertainty
K associated with this also has to be stated. This uncertainty K takes account not only of the
uncertainty of the measuring method, but also of the uncertainty inherent in the statistical
spread of a machine batch in production and is usually specified by the associated standard for
the specific machine. Table 2 presents an example of the noise values given in accordance
with the Technical Rule for the Noise and Vibration Ordinance (TRLV Lärm).

Characteristic values for noise emission (September 2011) Page 3 of 4

Table 2: Correct noise information with numeric values given by way of example (example from “TRLV Lärm”)

Machine type, performance data, operating conditions

Dual noise emission values in accordance with DIN EN 4871 Idling Under load

A-weighted sound power level LWA in dB re 1 pW 94 98

Uncertainty KWA in dB 2 2

A-weighted emission sound pressure level LpA

in dB re 20 Pa at operator’s workplace 80 86

Uncertainty KpA in dB 2 2

The values were obtained in accordance with noise test standard DIN EN ISO xxx with the application of the
basic standards DIN EN ISO 37xx and DIN EN ISO 1120x.

Because this noise information means little to many purchasers of machines and the stated
numeric value alone says nothing about the noise emission compared to other machines of the
same design, the possibility of presenting this information in noise classes, e.g. A, B and C, or
in colours from green via yellow to red, as familiar from the energy consumption of household
appliances, is currently under discussion (see, for instance, the International “Buy Quiet”
Symposium, Paris, 5th to 6th July 2011). One way of drawing attention to a particularly low-noise
product and of promoting it on the market is by displaying a suitable symbol, such as the
German “Blue Angel” awarded by the Federal Environment Agency.

Standards for determining emission characteristic values

Among the standards for the measurement of noise emission, a distinction can be made
between the basic standards, each of which describes in general the measurement strategy for
ascertaining the emission sound pressure level or sound power level, and, based on these, the
standards for specific machines (noise test code). The noise test codes define the installation
and operating conditions (rpm, load ...) to be achieved for the various machine categories at
measurement. The measurement of the emission sound pressure level at the workplace is
described in basic standards DIN EN ISO 11201 to DIN EN ISO 11205. To determine the
sound power level, the main basic standards of importance are DIN EN ISO 3744 and
DIN EN ISO 3746. Depending on the machine type and the usual installation conditions, other
basic standards can also be meaningfully applied to ascertain the sound power level.

A complete overview of the basic standards for determining the characteristic values for noise
emission is given, for instance, in the paperback “Lärmmessung im Betrieb” (in German). The
publication describes the associated measurements in detail and explains them with reference
to examples.

Author: Dr. Jürgen Maue, Institut für Arbeitsschutz der Deutschen Gesetzlichen
Unfallversicherung (IFA), Sankt Augustin

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