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Volume & noise protection
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Volume & noise protection in the office

Noise pollution is considered to be the most stressful factor in everyday working life, even ahead of heat. And this doesn't just apply to workshops or industrial plants, but also to noise levels in the office. In our guide, we look at the consequences of noise, occupational health and safety regulations and possible measures for noise and sound insulation in the office.

What does the law say about noise protection?

Occupational health and safety in Germany is covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its associated legal texts. In connection with the furnishing of workplaces such as offices, this includes in particular the Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV). 

According to the ArbStättV, offices must be set up in such a way that risks to the health and safety of employees are avoided as far as possible. In addition to the requirement for an ergonomic workplace or sufficient space to move around at the workplace, this also includes noise protection in the office. Because it goes on to say :

"In workplaces, the sound pressure level must be kept as low as possible depending on the type of operation. The sound pressure level at the workplace in workrooms must be reduced to such an extent, depending on the use and the activities to be carried out, that there is no adverse effect on the health of employees."

This already shows that there is no specific legal requirement for limit values to be complied with. Instead, the principle of minimization applies.

This requirement is specified in the Technical Rule for Workplaces ASR A3.7, which contains definitions of terms as well as recommendations on guide values for noise levels.

The recommended guide values for the volume are determined by the activity category. The category into which an activity falls is determined by the complexity, difficulty and scope of the task in question. 

  • Activity category I - requires high concentration and high speech intelligibility
  • Activity category II - medium concentration and speech intelligibility
  • Activity category III - low concentration and speech intelligibility

Decisions at management level, for example, have a major impact and usually fall into categories I or II. The analysis of complex issues or software development can also be categorized as category I. Warehouse or cleaning work, on the other hand, is less complex, has a low impact and therefore falls into category III. 

The following guide values for the maximum volume apply to the individual categories:

  • Activity category I: 55dB
  • Activity category II: 75 dB
  • Activity category III: no specification, reduce as far as possible

Health consequences of excessive volume

Why does occupational health and safety attach so much importance to noise in the office? 

According to surveys, noise, i.e. a volume that is perceived to be too high, is perceived as the greatest stress factor for the majority of employees. Noise can have a strong impact on the health of employees. On the one hand, these can be direct effects on hearing (aural noise effects). In addition, constant noise can have an indirect (extra-aural) impact on health. For example, excessive volume often increases stress levels, which puts a strain on the cardiovascular system. In psychological terms, noise triggers anger or nervousness and leads to a reduction in cognitive performance. And last but not least, a high volume impairs speech intelligibility and speech quality. 

All of these factors mean that employees exposed to noise are sick more often and are also much less able to concentrate during their normal working day. Productivity, diligence and adherence to schedules suffer as a result.

By avoiding unnecessary noise generation and relieving the burden on employees through noise protection measures in accordance with legal requirements, you as an employer promote the well-being and health of your teams - and make a sustainable investment in the company's success.

Risk assessment

The Occupational Health and Safety Act stipulates that employers are obliged to set up a noise-protected workplace. In order to determine whether noise protection measures need to be taken, the actual noise exposure must be determined as part of the risk assessment. This relates to all typical and long-term stable processes.

The determination can take place in different procedures.

  1. Simplified procedure through noise-related workplace inspections
  2. Determination of the room acoustic parameters by estimation
  3. Determination of the room acoustic parameters by measurement
  4. Determination of noise levels for activities by means of indicative measurement
  5. Determination of assessment levels for activities at workplaces in workspaces
  6. Evaluation of low-frequency noise

A detailed examination of the individual procedures is beyond the scope of this guide. You can find detailed information in the documents of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health:

External link (PDF file): Technical rule for workplaces - Noise - ASR A3.7

If the recommended maximum values are exceeded, appropriate noise protection measures must be taken.

Noise protection measures

If a risk assessment or comments from employees indicate that the noise level is too high (in some areas), the employer must take appropriate measures to reduce the noise level. The following are available for this

  • Technical measures
  • Organizational measures and
  • Personal measures

are available. In principle, technical measures should always be taken first.

Technical measures

Technical measures include all building and structural adjustments to and in the office to reduce the noise level. Priority should be given to measures at the source. If no further measures are possible or disproportionate, secondary measures are used on the propagation path of the sound waves. 

Such secondary measures can be very diverse.

Technical measures for more noise protection in the office - Acoustic solutions in the office
  • Other office furniture is already helping to reduce noise. 
  • Acoustic solutions such as partition walls or room div iders are effective in preventing the spread of sound. As acoustic room dividers, they also ensure that sound is absorbed.
  • Absorption surfaces that can be attached to walls and ceilings, for example, also have sound-absorbing properties. They can also be used as decorative elements.
  • Smooth surfaces reflect sound waves, transporting them further through the room. Textiles on walls or appropriate floor coverings help to improve the acoustics.
  • Room-in-room solutions, so-called telephone or meeting boxes, can be used if individual work areas in the office need to be protected from noise. These boxes function as separate rooms and allow little to no noise to enter. This makes them places of retreat for concentrated work or phone calls in the office.
  • Active noise-canceling headphones can be provided as equipment for individual employees.

Organizational measures

Once all technical options have been used (or supplemented), organizational measures can be taken to ensure that your employees have a noise-protected working environment. It is generally a good idea to issue general communication rules for the company for this purpose.

In addition, the following measures are suitable for most companies: 

  • Ensure spatial or temporal separation of employees from the noise source.
  • Set up additional meeting options and areas for phone calls so as not to disturb other colleagues. 
  • Define fixed time periods for certain noise-generating tasks. 
  • Place technology such as printers or photocopiers in their own separate rooms.
  • Offer your employees the option of working from home so that they can concentrate on individual tasks.

Personal measures

Last but not least, measures at a personal level also help to reduce the noise level in the office. Inform your employees about the possible consequences of excessive noise pollution and raise awareness of this issue. Show them how they can help to reduce noise by adopting appropriate behavior when working together or using equipment.

We support you with noise protection

Are you looking for support to protect your office against noise? Our colleagues will be happy to advise you. Arrange a consultation with us today.