Healthcare Products

Acoustics in Healthcare and the Considerations That Follow.

Department of Health
Specialist services: Health Technical Memorandum
08-01: Acoustics

This Guidance document was published to help those involved in the development of healthcare facilities understand the acoustic requirements as this is fundamental to the quality of healthcare buildings.

Control of unwanted sound is important for patients as it can result in increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate and blood cholesterol levels.

Good acoustic conditions in healthcare buildings improve patient privacy and help essential sleep patterns. Such conditions are vital for healing. Other benefits include improved efficiency and morale of staff ,usability of equipment and and safety when voice alarm systems are in use.

How we can help

Service

We can provide surveys free of charge. This involves a site visit where we discuss the requirements and get measurements and picture to allow us to do calculations on reverberation time. From here, we will send a report which includes

Sound absorption

One of the main areas in which we can help is sound-absorbent treatment. This ‘should be provided in all areas (including all corridors), except acoustically unimportant rooms (for example storerooms etc), where cleaning, infection-control, patient-safety, clinical and maintenance requirements allow.’

‘Acoustically-absorbent materials should have a minimum absorption area equivalent to a Class C absorber (as defined in BS EN ISO 11654:1997) covering at least 80% of the area of the floor, in addition to the absorption that may be provided by the building materials normally used.’

We can provide sound absorption materials which match this criteria and also Class A and B systems which would require less material. We can assist in the calculations necessary to achieve the same results.

Washable, sterilisable and impact resistant materials

Quietstone and Quietstone Light are non fibrous and inert materials. This alleviates any concerns regarding inhalable fibers being released and they can be washed with any detergents including sterilizers, making them suitable for areas within the infection-control regime.