Industrial and Business Activities

Advice Note: This Section does not include vibration created as a result of blasting. See Section 4.9.1 for rules related to blasting.

Vibration from industrial and business activity shall not exceed the following average levels:

1. At or within the boundary of any site zoned residential, or within 20m of any dwelling in the rural or rural-residential zones:
   
   

   Time	Average Weighted Vibration Level (Wb or Wd)
   Monday to Saturday 7.00 - 6.00pm (0700 - 1800)	45 mm/s2
   At all other times	15 mm/s2

2. At or within the boundary of any adjacent site zoned business or industrial:
   
   

   Time	Average Weighted Vibration Level (Wb or Wd)
   At all times	60 mm/s2

The weighted vibration levels Wb and Wd shall be measured according to BS6841:1987. The average vibration shall be measured over a time period not less than 60 seconds and not longer than 30 minutes. The vibration shall be measured at any point where it is likely to affect the comfort or amenity of persons occupying an adjacent site.

Explanation

Vibration that is generated by business and industrial activities can cause discomfort or annoyance when it is transmitted to adjacent sites. Vibration produces complex sensations the location and character of which vary according to the vibration frequency, direction of vibration and other factors.

The vibration limits were chosen after consideration of the guidelines in the British Standard 6841:1987 and the Draft ISO Standard Dis 2634/2:(1987). The night time limit for residential areas and rural dwellings is set at just above the threshold of perception as it was considered necessary to provide a high degree of protection against sleep disturbances. During the day a limit of 3 times the threshold was chosen as a reasonable balance between residential amenity and the need for business activities to be able to generate a reasonable level of vibration.

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