Noise legislation, designed to protect hearing and prevent noise nuisance, is becoming tougher and more widespread. It's a response to our increased understanding of the damage that noise can do to hearing, and the negative impact it can have on quality of life in the wider community. It has resulted in a growing need to measure noise and rising demand for noise measurement equipment.

However in order to gather accurate and meaningful information about noise levels in your workplace, or the impact you might be having on your neighbours, it is essential that you invest in the right measurement equipment for the task in hand. This article aims to provide advice on how to choose the best noise measurement tools for your application, and outlines one or two issues for consideration after the equipment has been purchased.