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Managers and Directors of industrial concerns involved are
generally co-operative and sympathetic towards the residents who
raise the matter in the first instance, and the Council's efforts
have been directed towards a spirit of co-operation and endeavour
rather than attempts at strict enforcement of the law which
might quite easily result in failure. Indeed, it is probably true
to say that this line of action has achieved more on balance than
any statutory action would have done.
Practical acoustics (relating to noise) and soil mechanics
(relating to vibration) are abstruse subjects and the approaches
to problems of noise and vibration may be so varied that the
selection of the best approach is often not easy and, in many
cases, even when a theoretical solution has been found, takes a
considerable time to put into effect. Even then the best that
can be hoped for in some cases is mitigation and not eradication.
In two instances noise has arisen from wood working tools,
particularly circular saws, where dwellinghouses were in close
proximity to the factories; fortunately work has not been carried
on during the night. Unfortunately, however, there is no known
method of preventing noise at the source in the case of machines
of this description. In one instance consideration has been given
to the possibility of lining the whole of the interior of the factory
with insulating material but the estimated cost was prohibitive.
The Company concerned have endeavoured, as also have the Council,
to obtain other premises more remote from residential buildings
as this appears to be the only effective way of dealing with the
matter but up to the moment alternative premises have not
become available; suitable industrial buildings seem to be as
difficult to acquire as dwelling houses.
In the second case the factory is much larger but there are a
number of openings in the wall facing the houses and the Company
concerned have been asked to block up the window openings
on this side and to fill in the gaps round a large sliding door
which are apparent even when the door is in the closed position
and which allow noise to escape from the factory. The Company
in the first instance tried the expedient of insulating the trunking
used to convey the chips and sawdust from the machines as it
was thought that this metal trunking might be amplifying the
noise but little, if any, reduction of noise was effected. Another
step being taken is to stack timber to provide a baffle wall
between the factory and the houses.
Noise and vibration from air compressors have figured amongst
the problems to be dealt with and in one case a very large fourstage
horizontal compressor gave rise to vibrations in the neigh-
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