Agents Required - For your 'ears' only

 Become an Insta-Mold Secret Agent: For your 'ears' only

It has long been considered that Custom Hearing Protection attracts a customised price tag! Insta-Mold is changing this fact and for the first time in the UK and Ireland direct moulded custom hearing protection that meet CE can be supplied within hours and at a fraction of the cost of lab-moulded products.

The versatility of Insta-Mold determines that the NHS can supply ‘swim-plugs’ or custom hearing protection in as little as 2 hours. The industrial sector can manage their own in-house custom hearing protection programmes and fit all their employees at a fraction of the price and custom hearing protection can be made on site at private weekend shooting events, festivals or motorcycle meetings.

Insta-Mold products can be manufactured and supplied by anyone who has appropriate ear impression experience or qualification. The medical grade, two-part, hypo-allergenic, ‘Insta-Mold’ silicone is direct moulded into the ear to form a CE certified custom hearing protection product that is lacquer coated and fitted with optional acoustic filters. With a Single Number Rating (SNR) of between 20dB and 29dB and with a life expectancy of up to four years then they are well suited for most applications.  Insta-Mold products include ‘snag-free’ safety leashes and fully traceable options for the food and drinks industry, and if you are supplying to the water-sport market then they float too! The wide colour range and swirl effects finally provide a product that not only meets the comfort needs of the wearer but makes a real statement too.

Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, Occupational Nurses, Hearing Therapists and any individual that has appropriate ear-impression training can become an Insta-Mold Agent and manufacture direct moulded hearing protection devices within hours and without the significant set up facilities of an ear-mould lab. This is of particular benefit to the NHS in the application of swimmers earplugs or industrial contracts which can be managed in-house and at a fraction of the cost of lab-moulded products. The product also provides a custom moulded option with excellent profit margins for the private hearing sector markets.

For more details, pricing and how to become an Insta-Mold agent then please contact 0845 653 0233 or visit the website at www.InstaMold.co.uk or www.soundguard.co.uk

What is Sound Insulation Testing?

Sound insulation testing is the assessment of the sound insulation performance of party walls and party floors between different dwellings. Testing is required once the property is nearing final completion and determines if the minimum Building Regulation standard for sound insulation has been met.

Developers are responsible for arranging testing to demonstrate compliance to Building Control that the Approved Doc E sound insulation regulations have been met. The procedure is more commonly referred to as pre-completion testing (PCT) or Approved Document E (ADE) sound testing.

What is Approved Doc E?

Approved Document E – ‘Resistance to the passage of sound’ came into force on July 1st 2003 and provides minimum sound insulation Building Regulation requirement for newly built and converted residential dwellings as well as the Code for Sustainable Homes. Properties include houses, flats, student residences, care homes, hotels and schools.

Approved Document E of the Building Regulations is a government-issued document providing guidance for architects, developers, building control bodies, building services engineers, and others involved in the design and conversion of buildings for residential purpose. The document explains the testing requirement and provides advice and details about building procedures and materials that affect test results


What is the benefit of a Sound Test?

In buildings sound can be defined as 'airborne sound' (i.e. sound generated and transferred directly in the air by talking or home entertainment systems) or 'impact sound' (i.e. sound generated by the impact of an object striking the floor and transmitted through it, such as footfall noise).

The objective of Approved Document E is to raise sound resistance standards for both airborne and impact noise between dwellings to provide reasonable living conditions and improve the standards of acoustic insulation in attached properties

Sound insulation testing may also be required in non-residential buildings such as schools, hospitals and workplaces to ensure that noise sensitive areas such as classrooms, wards and meeting rooms are suitably insulated from noisier areas


Do I need a sound test?

All new and converted dwelling houses and flats for residential purpose require sound testing to Approved Document E standard. This also includes a room or suite of rooms which is not a dwelling house or a flat but which is used by one or more persons to live and sleep. For example, rooms in hostels, hotels, boarding houses, halls of residence, and residential homes.

Detached properties do not require sound testing and new constructions that have been built and appropriately registered with the Robust Details scheme do not need to be sound tested. Historic building conversions may not need to be sound tested but often a ‘test and declare’ certificate for sound insulation performance is requested by the Building Control Officer (BCO).

How many sound tests do I need?

One set of sound tests needs to be undertaken for every ten flats or houses, provided the construction system is the same. A set means that the test should include two locations where the party element (wall or floor) is tested.

This is equivalent to two individual sound tests when assessing the performance of a wall (airborne performance only) and four individual tests when assessing a floor (two airborne and two impact tests).  All tests must be undertaken between habitable spaces (e.g. bedrooms, living rooms) and not to or from common spaces such as stairwells and corridors.

Approved Document E 2003 states that a minimum of 10% of all party walls and floors is sound tested for every construction group or sub-group. This means that where variations in the construction may occur then further testing may be required.

• Houses: a set of tests would usually comprise of two airborne sound insulation tests of a pair of separating walls
• Flats:a set of tests would usually comprise of two airborne sound insulation tests on separating walls; two airborne sound insulation tests of separating floors and two impact sound transmission tests of separating floors 
• Rooms for Residential Purposes: (student residences, hotel rooms & care homes) a set of tests would usually comprise of one airborne sound insulation test of a separating wall; one airborne sound insulation test of a separating floor and one impact sound transmission test of a separating floor

What are Robust Details?

From the 1^st July 2004, and for new house and flat developments, Robust Details may be used to eliminate the need for end of build pre-completion testing. Robust Details are high performance constructions that are capable of providing consistently good sound insulation but do require that the design is registered with, and approved by, Robust Details Ltd (RDL) and that confirmation of the construction, through on-site visual inspection by RDL has been completed in accordance with the registered design.

The specific details in the RDL handbook must be followed explicitly and each plot formally 'registered' with RDL before building commences. Robust Details registration cannot be used in conversions and so pre-completion testing must be undertaken in these circumstances. 

As the specific details in the Robust Details scheme may not allow for flexibility in the design of a development or may not prove cost effective, pre-completion testing may still prove a more suitable and effective route to demonstrate compliance.

Sending Residents Barking Mad!

Soundguard Acoustics Ltd was contracted by residents that were unfortunately subjected to continuous Kennel Noise following the inappropriate conversion of neighbouing farm buildings into a Commercial Kennel venture. The noise was seriously affecting their enjoyment of their property and gardens and Soundguard Acoustics Ltd proved this to be the case. Despite the Kennel Owners having their own independent noise assessment we proved that complaints were likely. The Local Authority planning commitee determined that a nuisance existed and a 17 vote to 1 support was given to our report and for the removal of the Kennels. Needless to say that our client was delighted!

The finer art of sound assessment

Acoustic consultancy is often carried out in heavy industry, at exhaust outlets, in damp fields, during night-time hours on development grounds and building sites. So when South West Acoustic Consultancy Soundguard Acoustics was asked for sound assessment advice at Exeter Rougemont Castle we jumped at the chance. Named Rougemont, after the reddish volcanic rocks on which it stands, the imposing building has changed considerablely since it was built by William the Conquerer in 1068. The castle was seized by Henry III in 1232, visited by Richard III in 1413 and ceased to be a military fortress in 1646. Much of the original building is now absent. What remains is the original structure of the Devon County Court from 1774 and the Castle has now past into private hands and is being renovated for accomodation and events. Devon Acoustic Consultancy Soundguard Acoustics was tasked with providing assessment and noise control advice for the function rooms and accomodation at the Castle.

Little Harbour Childrens Hospice

Soundguard Acoustics Ltd was contracted by Barnstaple based Architects, David Wilson Partnership, to assist in partition and ceiling design at Little Harbour Chidrens Hospice. Soundguard Acoustics is based in Devon, South West. This large scale Hospice development in St Austell, Cornwall is currently under construction and we continue to offer advice where required through each stage of the project.

New wind in the development market?

This month has seen a definite rise in planning assessments in Devon, Cornwall and the South West, BS4142 and PPG24 as well as internal building design and wind turbine assessments. Perhaps finally the the housing and construction market is improving. Please contact us if you have an requirements for your new build, regeneration or planning enquiry.

Targeting gunfire at 'The Tunnel'

The Tunnel is an ambitious project located just outside of Charmouth, Dorset. A disused road tunnel has been converted for use as an indoor shooting range and is due to open in the Spring 2010. The facility hopes to be of value to the 2012 olympics as well as local ballistics testing, the police and shooting enthusisats. Fully qualified staff will welcome all groups to come and participate and demonstrate that Shooting really can provide enormous enjoyment when practised within a controlled enviroment with qualified professionals.

Devon Acoustic consultancy Soundguard Acoustics Ltd were required to deliver expert acoustic advice to ensure that local properties would not be affected by noise break out from the site. With the support of the developers and the local police force a Magnum was used as a noise source from which a BS4142 survey was constructed. Additional internal and external acoustic advice was provided to ensure that the design of the build would meet the requirements of the project whilst avoiding any disturbance to local residents. (picture from alternative source as 'The Tunnel' is not yet complete)

Flying high with Flybe

Flybe is Europe's largest independent regional airline carrier and was named 'Regional Airline of the Year 2009'. The company operate throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe. Devon noise consultants Soundguard Acoustics Ltd were invited to undertake noise at work risk assessments for Flybe's groundcrew including their repair and refurbishment operations at the Exeter, Manchester and Birmingham sites. The Devon acoustic consultancy Soundguard Acoustics Ltd spent an interesting time assessing the hangars, operating equipment and ground testing and engine test runs of Embraer 145's.

Soundguard cares for Alberto Culver:

Alberto-Culver UK manufacturers and distributes leading haircare and skincare brands in the UK and Ireland. The company is based in Swansea and employees over 130 people within the manufacturing, blending and dispensing operations. Alberto Culver grew from a single product over 50 years ago to become an innovative leader in a range of hair and skincare products that include Tresemme, VO5, St Ives, Andrew Collinge and Alberto Balsam.

Noise at Work experts Soundguard Acoustics Ltd were invited to undertake workplace noise assessments to CONAWR regulations throughout the site and across the numerous production lines. A range of noise control solutions was determined as well as alteration to the existing mandatory hearing protection zones. Several engineering controls are planned in the near future to further reduce employee noise exposure risks. Devon noise services Soundguard AcousticsLtd  continues to work with the company.

Raising a glass to Constellation Europe:

Constellation Europe is the UK’s largest wine bottling company and is based in Avonmouth, Bristol. The company bottles a range of wines including Kumala, Hardys, Banrock Station, Stowells, Nobilo, Ravenswood, Simi and Robert Mondavi wines. Constellation Europe is part of Constellation Brands which has sales of more than $3.77 billion annually and employees over 6,600 people throughout its 50 wineries and other facilities worldwide.

Soundguard Acoustics Ltd was invited to undertake workplace noise assessments to CONAWR regulations for the newly installed high-speed bottling lines. This £80 million development produces over 600 bottles of wine per minute. Using Sound Levels Meters and DoseBadges, Soundguard Acoustics Ltd determined a range of noise control solutions. Mandatory hearing protection zones were relaxed in areas consistently below the UEAV of 85dB(A) or 135dB(C) and resulted in some employees groups, supervisors, visitors, store operatives and fork lift drivers not having to wear hearing protection.

Sound support for Notting Hill Carnival 08

London's Notting Hill Carnival is famous worldwide, its the biggest street Carnival in Europe and the second biggest in the world. 2008 saw the introduction of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations for the entertainments industry and London Notting Hill Carnival Ltd requested the assistance of Soundguard Acoustics Ltd to determine the noise exposure risk of its employees, traders, stewards, masqueraders and the general public. The remit was to preserve the vibrant sounds of Carnival and achieve protaction for its employees. A challenge in itself! Soundguard Acoustics Ltd monitored the levels at Carnival 2008 using a team of consultants throughout the 4 mile route. In addition the 40 static sound systems were risk assessed and measured. The information was used to assist in the planning of Carnival 2009.

Opening doors with Leaderflush Shapland

Leaderflush Shapland is based in Barnstaple, Devon. The company manufacturers a range of flush performance doors and doorsets. Soundguard Acoustics Ltd was invited to undertake both workplace noise assessments and also Hand Arm Vibration analysis for its employees. The site contains a range of hand held and automated wood working equipment including planners, shapers, presses and laser cutting devices. A range of noise control solutions were introduced including LEV noise reduction and clearly defined hearing protection zones were marked.

Lowering noise for Magnesium Elektron

Manchester company Magnesium Elektron first produced magnesium in 1936. They develop more alloys than any other company worldwide and supply applications in the aerospace, automotive and power generation industries. The large site consists of a range of buildings, furnaces and machinery as well as a range of other specialist operations. Soundguard Acoustics Ltd assessed and noise mapped the entire site as well as utlising Dosimetry and Sound Level Meter analysis to determine the noise exposure of the employees. A range of noise control techniques and hearing protection zones were introduced.

Introducing Soundguard Acoustics Ltd

Welcome to the Soundguard blog pages. Over the coming weeks we aim to upload information on a variety of projects that we have been involved with and help to demonstrate to you that Soundguard Acoustics Ltd can respond to your acoustic needs. We aim to offer incites into acoustic consultancy, provide an overview of our work and update you on changes in legislation or regulation within the field of acoustics. And if we find any amusing snippets along the way then we will drop those in too! For now let me first introduce our company:

Soundguard Acoustics Ltd delivers clear acoustic advice with a professional personal service throughout the UK. We believe that competence and value for money is demonstrated by quality, effectiveness and the clarity of practical advice.

Our clients include architects, developers, environmental planners, residents, industrial health and safety advisors and commercial managers across a range of organisations that includes aerospace, healthcare, education, industry, leisure, development, event management, ministry of defence and government authorities.

We utilise a team of consultants working on a freelance basis with backgrounds in Health & Safety, Environmental Health, Event management and Audiology to deliver a comprehensive program of assessment, monitoring or solutions.

Our services are ‘fit for purpose’, cost-effective and delivered quickly, helping you to meet your objectives on time and within budget. If you need advice then give us a call and we will be happy to chat with you.