‘Intolerable’ noise in new classrooms

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32677, 5 August 1971, Page 12

‘Intolerable’ noise in new classrooms

Furniture being moved on floors in the new block at Cashmere High School made an “intolerable noise”; in a test the noise level reached 110 decibels, the headmaster (Mr T. H. McCombs) reported to the school board yesterday.

Such a noise level was reached only where the concrete floors were covered in vinyl and would be common to other schools also where vinyl had been laid instead of linoleum, said Mr McCombs. The Department of Health bad done a test with a noise recorder, he reported. Pupils were asked to stand as if they were leaving the room, and the noise created by furniture being moved reached 110 decibels.

“I really feel sorry for teachers who work in these rooms,” commented Mr McCombs.

Most of the chairs and desks had plastic “feet” or wooden tips on legs, he said. It was not possible to procure rubber “feet,” which would eliminate much of the noise, because manufacturers were not interested in producing the small numbers required. The board was told that the noise level in a normal suburban street was about 45

decibels; any noise above 110 decibels was in "a painful level.” Mr McCombs said that he had written during April to the Department of Education asking if there was any solu-, tion to this problem. The department advised that it was investigating, but he had nothing yet.