Abstract
In our country, the public nuisance caused by the city-noise has become one of the most important social problems. To make clear the responese of neighbours to the noises caused by factories, we have performed the following investigations in Osaka City and Amagasaki City: (1) measurements of noise level inside and outside the factories and in the houses in the vicinity of them, number of factories and houses investigated being 33 and 136 respectively; (2) the relationship between the psychic and somatic injury on the dwellers and the noise level in their houses. More than 25% of dwellers were injured emotionally at level of 40-45 phons, in daily life at 45-50 phons, and physically at 50-55 phons. At levels above 60 phons, most of dwellers were injured. From this study it seems to us that the tolerable level of noise caused by factories should not exceed 60 phons. We have proposed a noise abatement regulation in city in consideration of the above mentioned results and social conditions.
