science

NIOSH Power Tools Database

NIOSH Power Tools Database is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand NIOSH Power Tools Database rather than just read about it. In short: The NIOSH Power Tools Database contains sound power levels, sound pressure levels, and vibrations data for a variety of common power tools that have been tested by researchers. Data are collected for both the unloaded and loaded use of power tools.

Key takeaways

NIOSH Power Tools Database belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect NIOSH Power Tools Database to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NIOSH Power Tools Database from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The NIOSH Power Tools Database contains sound power levels, sound pressure levels, and vibrations data for a variety of common power tools that have been tested by researchers. Data are collected for both the unloaded and loaded use of power tools. The database was created by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Purpose This database was created in order to provide information to the general public about the sound and vibrations generated by power tools during their use. Many of these tools produce sound levels high enough to damage hearing if precautions are not taken. Since this information was not readily available in most cases, NIOSH created the Power Tools Database and ran tests on power tools to provide the information. According to NIOSH, the Power Tools Database "is particularly helpful in determining the 'real-world' noise level of power tools as they are used on the job." The database is a part of the much larger Hearing Loss Prevention Research Program conducted by NIOSH. The Hearing Loss Prevention Research Program is designed to reduce occupational hearing loss through research and the application of the research to real-world situations. This database advances this goal by informing buyers and users of power tools of the dangerous levels of noise and vibrations that they are exposed to while using the tools. By making people aware of how loud power tools actually are, NIOSH is attempting to encourage the design and production of quieter power tools and the proper use of hearing protectors when using such tools. The database is also part of a larger NIOSH prevention initiative called Buy Quiet. In recent years, Buy Quiet programs and initiatives have arisen in an effort to combat occupational noise exposures. These programs promote the purchase of quieter tools and equipment. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is an increasingly common disorder often caused by work-related activities. Construction, manufacturing, and mining are some of the most susceptible occupations to NIHL, since many workers in these fields are exposed to high levels of noise on a daily basis. A substantial part of this noise results from the use of power tools, which can produce dangerous levels of noise by themselves. Although the loudness of power tools may be quite apparent to those using them, the actual level of noise produced was mostly unreported and not available easily in an online reference. This database provides detailed information about these noise levels so that appropriate action may be taken to protect workers from them.

Method of testing The information in the database originates from testing done on power tools by NIOSH researchers. Testing is conducted in accordance with ISO 3744 and ANSI S12.15. Calibration of testing equipment is performed before tests begin. Tests are conducted in a semi-anechoic chamber with a test setup that includes a ten-microphone array and an accelerometer. In the case of testing power tools in the unloaded condition, the tool is suspended by cables and set to operate at full speed. For the loaded condition, the tool is used by a researcher to perform the task for which it was designed while another researcher runs the data acquisition programs. After data are collected, they are verified and analyzed before being entered into the NIOSH Power Tools Database.

Scope Currently, the NIOSH Power Tools Database contains sound and vibrations data for 166 power tools, including 11 different types of tools from 18 manufacturers. Testing on additional power tools is in progress and the database will be updated to reflect new data acquired. The database is part of NIOSH's Buy Quiet efforts aimed at helping companies buy less noisy equipment that will result in less hearing loss. Other online resources include the "Practical Guide," a noise meter showing the length of time when exposure to various everyday noises becomes hazardous, and employee training videos.

References

External links NIOSH Power Tools Database NIOSH Buy Quiet Topic Page

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with NIOSH Power Tools Database

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NIOSH Power Tools Database claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to NIOSH Power Tools Database before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about NIOSH Power Tools Database ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of NIOSH Power Tools Database

In research: NIOSH Power Tools Database appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses NIOSH Power Tools Database in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: NIOSH Power Tools Database is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Construction safety, Databases by subject, Power tools, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NIOSH Power Tools Database outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study NIOSH Power Tools Database in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NIOSH Power Tools Database means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain NIOSH Power Tools Database out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NIOSH Power Tools Database in simple terms?

Why does NIOSH Power Tools Database matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study NIOSH Power Tools Database?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on NIOSH Power Tools Database.