Pollution

Building Site Noise

Building sites are often a cause of significant short term nuisance, some of which may be unavoidable. Often the contractors and Local Authority working together can reach agreement to minimise the effect on the local community.

If you consider noise from a construction site to be unreasonable or unnecessary, try visiting the site office and speaking to the Site Manager. The contractor is almost certainly not aware they are causing a problem. Be prepared to offer a compromise.

If you are unable to do this contact the Environmental Health Unit, giving details of the problem noise, how it affects you, the times of the problem, and the source (if you know it). This is important as the noise may not be occurring when we visit. You must also provide your own details.

Typical noise problems on construction sites include:

Delivery and Operating Times: the usual arrangements are 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday. 8am – 1pm Saturdays; no noisy work on Sundays or Bank Holidays (unless by prior agreement).
Generators and Fixed Noisy Plant – most often controlled by considerate siting, silencing or screening.
Moving Vehicles – best controlled by choice of site layout and traffic routes (if possible), the use of well-maintained vehicles.
Reversing Alarms – can be avoided by substitution with alternative, quiet safety measures, and employing traffic management that minimises reversing.
Radios – the Site Manager may agree to ban radios from certain parts of the site, and ensure they are not audible off-site.

Contractors will be encouraged to advise local residents of the timing of and need for any particularly noisy work which cannot be otherwise controlled. Examples would include piling or night-time work on the highway.

Where informal agreements cannot be reached or agreed to, the Environmental Health Unit may set boundary noise limits or specify other control measures which will be incorporated into a Legal Notice. Enforcement action can be taken if this is not complied with.

For more information on Considerate Contractors please click on the link below:

Considerate Constructor Advice Note

SERVICES A-Z

Noise Control

Noise
Road Traffic Noise
Railway Noise
Pubs and Clubs
Private Parties
Noise and the Law
National Society for Clean Air (NSCA)
Outdoor Events
Noisy Parties
Noisy Neighbours
Burglar Alarms
Car Alarms
Commercial Noise
Aircraft Noise