(a) Each machinery space must be designed to minimize the exposure of personnel to noise in accordance with IMO A.468(XII) (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 58.03-1). No person may encounter a 24-hour effective noise level greater than 82 dB(A) when noise is measured using a sound-level meter and an A-weighting filter.

(b) Except as allowed by paragraph (c) of this section, no machinery space may exceed the following noise levels:

(1) Machinery control room—75 dB(A)

(2) Manned machinery space—90 dB(A)

(3) Unmanned machinery space—110 dB(A)

(4) Periodically unattended machinery space—110 dB(A)

(5) Workshop—85 dB(A)

(6) Any other work space around machinery—90 dB(A)

(c) If adding a source of noise would cause a machinery space to exceed the noise level permitted by paragraph (b) of this section, the new source must be suitably insulated or isolated so that the space does not exceed that noise level. If the space is manned, a refuge from noise must be provided within the space.

(d) Ear protection must be provided for any person entering any space with a noise level greater than 85 dB(A).

(e) Each entrance to a machinery space with a noise level greater than 85 dB(A) must have a warning sign stating that each person entering the space must wear ear protection.

[CGD 83-043, 60 FR 24776, May 10, 1995, as amended by USCG-2003-16630, 73 FR 65186, Oct. 31, 2008]