Problematic noise and acoustical conditions are widespread in the food industry, and many work-related hearing injuries are reported every year. ALECTIA has been given a grant from the “Pig Production Tax Foundation” for the research project ”Acoustical regulation and hygiene in slaughterhouses and meat processing industries”

One of the reasons for the problematic noise and acoustical conditions is the high demands for hygiene and cleaning in this industry. The surfaces and equipment of the production facilities are made with materials that can be cleaned effectively. This means hard surfaces that cannot absorb sound and consequently result in an increased noise level.

The Danish Working Environment Authority regularly issues improvement notices to food industries requesting them to establish satisfactory acoustic conditions. The solution is to mount sound-absorbing materials on ceilings and walls. Experience has shown however that the absorbers quickly break due to cleaning and various impacts. To satisfy the requirements to hygiene and food safety these materials therefore have to be replaced frequently.

It is a big challenge for the industry to comply with the different requirements. The purpose of the project is to find durable and sustainable solutions to acoustic regulation ensuring that the industries are compliant. ALECTIA contribute to the project with project management, and knowledge of acoustics and hygiene in the food industry.  

TICAN and DEFCO
Two other companies are participating in the project: TICAN in Thisted and DEFCO in Aarhus. ALECTIA tests and examines durable and sustainable solutions to the acoustical regulation that ensures the regulatory compliance of the industry. This includes the building regulations, the requirements of the Danish Working Environment Authority, labelling requirements for building materials, fire classes, indoor climate, etc.

The solutions have to be:

• Resistant to impacts
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Able to endure the cleaning methods and chemicals
• Able to endure hot water (more than 60 degrees Celsius)
• Flexible in relation to mounting and hanging
• Economical to buy and maintain
• Sustainable, i.e. long life, recyclability

The project period is 15 months from October 2010 to December 2011.

Results and written evaluation of the process will be shared with the industry and published on ALECTIA’s home page.