In a recent, strongly attended presentation at the Ballsbridge Hotel in February 2019, Diarmuid Keaney of ICAN Acoustics delivered an informative presentation titled ‘Pubs, Noise and Neighbours’ which provided specific guidance on dealing with noise complaints for our LVA members.
Some of the key tips for pubs delivered at the presentation included:
- The necessity to take all noise complaints seriously.
- If you are served a notice by the local authority, then always respond within the time frame allocated.
- Ensure that you use an acoustic consultant who is formally qualified in acoustics, not just a engineer or chartered engineer. When you engage a qualified noise consultant, you need to know what his/her formal qualifications are so that if they are presenting evidence in court at a later date, that the court can rely on it as qualified advice, which will arise during cross-examination.
- Ensure that you keep a complaints log book
- Before you carry out any works, ensure that those making the recommendations can verify that they are likely to be effective, through noise prediction, noise modelling and proper calculation. Be cautious about those who present solutions based on anecdotal evidence on previous projects.
- Ensure that you take advice on noise mitigation from someone who is qualified to give you acoustic consultancy advice and ensure that they are not supplying you with treatments i.e. can give you independent and impartial advice.
- Understand that the law can provide you with a good defence to show that you took all reasonable care to prevent of limit the noise being complained of.
- Limiting devices are not a substitute for poorly insulated buildings and while they are important, they are not always the solution.
- The law can only protect those with ‘an average sensitivity to noise’, ensure that your own investigation includes a qualified and objective assessment of the noise climate and that complaints are validated and supported with scientific data.
Diarmuid Keaney addresses attendees at the recent LVA Seminar on ‘Pubs, Noise and Neighbours’
Diarmuid Keaney is a qualified noise and vibration consultant for ICAN Acoustics. ICAN Acoustics has a wide variety of clients ranging from State authorities, national power companies to industrial and private clients. Diarmuid has worked for numerous clients in the entertainment and licensing sector and has specific experience on noise matters for those who own and operate bars, late bars, nightclubs and hotels. He holds an M.Sc. in Applied Acoustics, a Diploma in Acoustics and Noise Control and is also a degree qualified engineer.
Diarmuid can be reached on:
Web: www.acoustics.ie Email: diarmuid@acoustics.ie
Mobile: 087-8137058 Office: 01-4403869