Sound exposure during daily activities

Throughout the day people carry out different activities in different places, and are therefore exposed to a wide range of sound environments. Sound exposure does not occur uniquely in the work situation, but is also caused by non-occupational activities, such as leisure, transportation, shopping, etc. This work shows the results of a study of the sound exposure experienced by a group of 32 people during one week in the Madrid Autonomous Region in Spain. The main aim of the study is to determine the average sound exposure perceived by an inhabitant of the Madrid region; to this end the sample was designed to comprise a cross-section of the population. An analysis was made of the activities that most affect sound exposure, and of the contribution of these activities to the total sound exposure. The results obtained show that in all population groups, sound exposure is greatest on weekends. Leisure activities contribute most to the total sound received, and young adults are subjected to the highest levels of sound exposure. The results obtained in this work may be useful for local authorities in planning environmental strategies. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.