Federal agencies Hearing conservation Hearing loss Manufacturing Construction Mobile Apps

NIOSH creates app for measuring workplace noise exposure

January 25, 2017
13 Comments
Mobile apps NIOSH noise exposure
phone app

Photo: Apple iTunes

UPDATE: This story has been updated to include information from NIOSH about why the mobile app is not available for Android devices.

Washington – NIOSH has developed a sound level meter mobile app designed to measure noise exposure in the workplace.

The app, available for Apple devices, provides noise exposure metrics that are of “importance for proper occupational noise measurements,” NIOSH states in a Jan. 17 blog post. NIOSH is collaborating with other agencies to develop an Android version, but the agency stated that it may verify the app only on selected devices because of the large number of available Android devices and models. The project would begin when funding becomes available.

The app supplies instantaneous sound levels in A-weighted, C-weighted or Z-weighted decibels, as well as parameters intended to aid with lowering occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Users can save and share measurement data and receive general information about noise and hearing loss prevention.

NIOSH recommends using the app with an external microphone and acoustical calibrator for better accuracy. The app is not intended to be used for compliance or as a substitute to a professional sound level meter or a noise dosimeter, the agency cautions.

In 2014, NIOSH researchers examined nearly 200 sound measurement apps. They found that most available apps are designed for the casual user and do not have the accuracy and functionality for occupational noise measurements, according to the blog post.

Post a comment to this article

Safety+Health welcomes comments that promote respectful dialogue. Please stay on topic. Comments that contain personal attacks, profanity or abusive language – or those aggressively promoting products or services – will be removed. We reserve the right to determine which comments violate our comment policy. (Anonymous comments are welcome; merely skip the “name” field in the comment box. An email address is required but will not be included with your comment.)

Title

Dave
January 25, 2017
Why Apple devices only? No love for Android?
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Michael
January 27, 2017
Indeed, why is it not available for Androids?
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Jeff
January 27, 2017
What is the name of the app? And can it be found in the Google play store?
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Tony V.
January 27, 2017
Are there plans to roll this App out for Android Phones?
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Safety+Health magazine
January 27, 2017
Dave, Michael, Jeff and Tony V. -- thanks for your comments. We've added a link to the iTunes store (apologies for the oversight), and we've reached out to NIOSH to ask about an Android version. We'll update this article with any information we receive.
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Bilal Shmad
January 27, 2017
It's good
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Omar
January 27, 2017
Thanks
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Jim
January 28, 2017
From their FAQ page: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/app.html iOS devices share common hardware and software architecture that is optimized for audio applications. Therefore, we have been able to verify that the NIOSH SLM app will perform as expected on any iOS device. On the other hand, the Android device marketplace is fragmented among many manufacturers with different requirements and specifications for microphones, audio/signal processing chips, and software tools. As a result, testing and verification of the accuracy and functionality of an Android-based app in our laboratory is not currently possible.
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Stu Bailey
January 30, 2017
I downloaded this app to my phone and also have the Decibel 10th app, which I downloaded a few years ago. These two apps provide very different results. The NIOSH app measures sound levels on the A scale and the Decibel 10th app measures on the Z-scale, no weighting. The NIOSH A-scale levels are very hard to believe. They are about 25 dBA less than the Decibel 10th levels. Has anyone else had this experience? What am I missing?
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Buddy
February 1, 2017
Response to Stu Bailey: I have no information about the accuracy of either app. However, A-weighted sound levels are always lower than Z-weighted (unweighted). The magnitude of the difference dBZ-dBA depends on how much mid to low frequency noise there is in your signal. Small to no difference your signal energy is predominately greater than 500 Hz. Large difference and you have significant energy below 500 Hz. Also when comparing "overall" dBA or dBZ levels you must be cognisant of the overall measurement bandwidth 20 Hz to 20 kHz or some smaller or larger range. Integration of sound levels over a larger bandwidth results in a larger number and similarly smaller bandwidth = smaller number.
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Jeff
February 17, 2017
NIOSH posted a couple of short videos on their Instagram account showing their app side by side with Class 1 SLM. https://www.instagram.com/p/BPgAZD0j9WV/?taken-by=nioshusa https://www.instagram.com/p/BPdetqBALtH/?taken-by=nioshusa
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Jeff
February 17, 2017
There's also a nice little review by advanced safety & health blog from a fellow IH: http://advancedsafetyhealth.com/newsletter-blog/2017/02/07/new-sound-level-meter-app-from-niosh/
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment

Title

Harris
January 30, 2018
Hi Firstly I am very grateful with your NIOSH SLM application I am currently using it to measure noise level in our INtensive care unit in one of the hospital in Malaysia. However we didn’t add any mic or external device to our phone. Do u think it will effect our finding significantly?
Post Comment Report Abusive Comment