Investigation Of Indoor And Outdoor Sound Level From Selected Religious Houses

ABSTRACT

Noise pollution in churches is one of the health challenges facing developing nations of the world such as Nigeria. Both church leaders and their members are exposed to different sound levels during church services, many of which can last for hours. According to the Nigerian National Environmental standard and regulation Act 2007, the maximum permissible noise level in worship centers should not exceed 75 dB and Nigeria being the highest church proliferation in the world makes it imperative to carry out this research. Aim: the aim of this study is the measure the equivalent noise levels with their corresponding frequency levels at varying distances from the source and quantify the noise pollution levels in churches and mosques in Port Harcourt. Method: a total of 11 Pentecostal churches, 5 orthodox churches and 3 central mosques were randomly selected. This study was carried out between July and August, 2017. Sound pressure level meter was used to measure the sound levels under the weighted range in churches on Sundays between the hours of 7.30 to 12.0 pm and on Fridays in mosques between the hours of

1.30 to 3.00pm afternoon session and evening at 6.00pm. Data obtained was analyzed using ms-excel. Result: Average indoor and outdoor equivalent noise level in pentecostal churches are 95.1 dB(A) and 79.5 dB(A) respectively while that for orthodox churches are 93.6 dB(A) and 77.9 dB(A) respectively. The average indoor and outdoor equivalent noise levels in mosques are 72.1 and 100.6 dB(A). The frequency of the noise ranges from 310.75 to 785.30 Hz in Pentecostal, 482.60 to 749.02 Hz in Orthodox churches and 438.63 to 620.36 Hz in mosques. The highest noise pollution level in churches and mosques recorded are 121.18, 119.38 and 123.48 dB for pentecostal, orthodox and mosques respectively. Conclusion: all the noise pollution levels recorded in the churches and mosques are higher than the safe permissible limits of sound of 75 dB thus making it unhealthy, unsafe for the worshippers. Therefore there is need for implementation of the noise regulation laws in churches in Nigeria in order to reduce the risk of hearing loss.

Keywords: Noise Pollution, Equivalent Noise, Mosque, Pentecostal

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
• PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
• SCOPE OF THE STUDY
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• RESEARCH QUESTION

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• REVIEW OF THE STUDY
• REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES
• OVERVIEW OF NOISE POLLUTION
• THE EFFECT OF NOISE

CHAPTER THREE

• MATERIALS AND METHODS
• STUDY AREA
• METHOD

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0      RESULT ANALYSIS AND DISCUSION

• RESULT ANALYSIS
• DISCUSSION

CHAPTER FIVE

• CONCLUSION
• RECOMMENDATION

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                               INTRODUCTION

1.1                                   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Noise which is an unwanted sound that disrupts human activities has been a major concern in many of the built environments. Noise pollution is an unwanted or undesirable sound in peripheral environment. In other words, it is indefinite and irregular combination of sounds [1]. Noise pollution has many effects on humans, including hearing loss, emotion effects (feeling of physical discomfort in ears), impaired communication, psychosomatic effects on physical well-being, and inappropriate effects on the psychological states of people [2]. Much noise can also leave adverse effects on work efficiency and events. It can also cause impaired sleep and behavior, increased gastric intestinal activity, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen consumption [3, 4]. One of the places where high levels of noise can have a significant effect on public health is churches and mosques. Chad Kitundu [5], reported that Rwanda government shuts down 700 churches for noise pollution. The first important phase to control noise pollution that is very important nowadays is to measure noise pressure level and the considered parameters and to compare it with standard parameters [6, 7].

Churches and mosques represent an excellent environment in the propagation of sound which poses a high risk in the occurrence of noise induced hearing loss [8]. Many of them have increased their musical experience with loud music instruments, and some of them are always filled with thousands of people during their weekend service with loud blaring music from musical instruments. A great percentage of the population in this region are ignorant of the effects of being expose to high noise level. The World Health Organization estimates that about 1.1 billion children and youth around the world may face the risk of hearing loss and other harmful effects due to unsafe listening practices [9]. Chronic exposure to moderate sound levels of less than 90 dB as found in many church environment causes the hair cells especially the outer hair cells of the inner ear to degenerate within the organ of corti during each period of exposure [8]. Safe permissible sound levels to hearing, depend on the intensity (loudness) and duration of exposure [10]. The longer the exposure and the more intense the sound, the more the degeneration and loss of hair cells [11].

The global society today is undergoing significant constant proliferation of religious houses which are thought to provide solutions to the numerous problems confronting people, especially, the black race and Nigeria in particular [12]. Nigeria is a country with the highest number of churches per capital in the world and a fertile soil for the growth of independent churches [13]. This proliferation of religious houses is borne out of the understanding that in Nigeria, there is freedom of religious worship but central to this is the question of its environmental effects on the people in the society [12]. Religious houses are springing up at an alarming rate in all available spaces, shops, uncompleted buildings, warehouses, hotels, abandoned cinema buildings, studios and other public places. It is a common sight to see a minimum of fifty different religious centers on a street of four kilometers long [13].

Churches and places of worship represent an excellent sound propagation in a closed space which poses a high risk in the occurrence of noise induced hearing loss [14]. They have several sources of sound which includes piano, organs, bands, choir and the loud speakers [15]. The hazardous effect of sound in places of worship can be reduced by attaching “special sound limiters’’ to the sound systems [15]. These are devices that automatically limit the output volume or the intensity of sound produced from the systems, thereby reducing the resultant sound effect.

Noise exposure prediction models that are used in health effect studies normally yield free field exposure levels outside residences as results. In these models, the sound insulation of buildings is neglected. However, to assess the sound exposure of the inhabitants inside buildings, an estimate of the indoor sound level is necessary, as people spend a considerable amount of their time indoors [16]. According to Nigerian National environmental noise standard and regulation Act established in 2007 and enacted to view on the minimum health and safety requirement regarding the exposure risk arising from noise, the maximum permissible noise level in worship centers should not exceed 75dB. Considering the fact that Nigeria has the highest rate of church proliferation in the world, makes it imperative to carry out this research work. The aim of this study is to measure the equivalent noise level with their corresponding frequencies and determine the noise pollution level in order to quantify the exposure level of church worshippers in Port Harcourt.

1.2                                          PROBLEM STATEMENT

Recently, noise pollution has been of increasing concern worldwide, particularly in most urban centers. The noise problems of the modern industrial societies seem incomparable to the past given the larger sources of noise now present outdoors and indoors. Presently in Nigeria, noise from religious houses seems to be one of the main sources of environmental noise urban communities. Religious houses include churches and mosques. Religious leaders and their members, even dwellers closes to these religious houses are exposed to different indoors and outdoors sound levels during their religious services, many of which can last for hours. According to the Nigerian National Environmental standard and regulation Act 2007, the maximum permissible noise level in worship centers should not exceed 75 dB but in Nigeria noise generated from religious houses seems to be more than the permissible level and Nigeria being the highest church proliferation in the world makes it imperative to carry out this research.

1.3                                      AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

AIM

The aim of this study is to measure the equivalent noise levels with their corresponding frequency levels at varying distances from the source and quantify the noise pollution levels in churches and mosques in Port-Harcourt.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the study are:

1. To understand the meaning of noise
2. To know the effect of noise on human health

• To analyze the indoor and outdoor noise level of different religious houses

1. To make recommendation on how noise level from religious houses can be controlled

1.4                                                  PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to assess the noise level in different religious houses and to analyze its effects on people from reporting complaints.

1.5                                                     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Increasing number of religious houses in Port-Harcourt may cause noise pollution in our environment and may adversely affect residents, leading to physiological and psychological problems. Recently, environmental regulations have become widespread, due to increasing environmental awareness. Such laws include the regulation of religious houses noise levels and measures necessary to protect mankind from the effects of excessive noise. This study examines the noise levels in religious houses. Noise measurements were conducted at production line locations and management departments throughout the selected religious houses.

1.6                                              SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Measuring noise levels and people’s noise exposures is the most important part of a hearing conservation and noise control program. It helps identify religious houses locations where there are noise problems, residents who may be affected, and where additional noise measurements need to be made.

1.7                                                           RESEARCH QUESTIONS

At the end of this study the following answers shall be provided:

1. Do religious houses contribute to environmental noise pollution in Port-Harcourt?
2. Does maximum permissible noise level in worship centers should exceed 75dB in Nigeria?

• Does noise coming out of the religious houses affect the dwellers of the areas?

1. Can noise from religious houses be regulated and controlled?

CHAPTER FIVE

      5.0                                                               CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1       CONCLUSION

A high indoor and outdoor equivalent noise level and noise pollution levels was reported in all the churches above the safety permissible limits of sound. The frequency of noise levels measured are within the audible range.

All the churches had long noise exposure time with the Pentecostal churches being the highest. Significantly, all the church buildings were not acoustically designed which increases the deleterious effect of the sound.

5.2       RECOMMENDATION

Following the observations made in this study, the following recommendations were made:

1. Sound limiters should be attached to sound systems in our churches to reduce the noise
2. The loud speakers should be positioned high and away from the worshippers to reduce the effect on the
3. Churches and mosques should be acoustically designed to reduce the resultant sound energy
4. Government agencies responsible for noise control should organize regular Orientation and workshops for religious leaders and their workers