SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL

Volume 13, No. 02, Month MAY, Year 2019, Pages 93 - 100

Assessment of preferred maximum sound output intensity of personal audio devices on a recommended safety exposure time scale

Adinife Patrick Azodo, Idama Omokaro

Abstract Download PDF

The operation safety of personal audio device (PAD) as regards sound exposure intensity level considered as a function of exposure duration was carried out in this study. Maximum sound output intensity (MSOI) level from the participants"e PADs was determined through physical measurement and analyzed on a sound exposure time guidelines. The PADs MSOI evaluation was conducted in a room environment with a background noise range of 48.4 to 57.3 decibels so as to avoid background noise interference with the choice listening levels of the participants. Analysis carried out on the obtained data showed that, for short exposure time of 0.5-2 minutes, all participants operated within recommended safety exposure time scale. Thereafter, the exposure duration from 4-120 minutes indicated a consistent increase in unsafe operation characteristics and reverse act on safe operation characteristics. It was concluded that a maintained PAD sound output intensity level exposure for an extended time space of 2 hours translated from safe to unsafe operation characteristics. It then means that time space for the PAD should be considered for either tune up or down of one’s PAD as recommended safety exposure is a function of time.

Keywords

safety, sound intensity, PAD, exposure time, music

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