Increased worker health agency regulations for noise exposure mean that hearing protection alone is no longer considered adequate for high-noise industrial operations. Rather, regulators are placing increasing emphasis on source controls to provide a quieter, safer working environment. Comprehensive noise exposure doumentation and control programs can minimize worker health impacts and ensure regulatory compliance.
There is increasing interest, particularly amongst regulators and municipalities, in understanding the fundamentals of sound transmission and measurement. W.A.L. can provide training for staff who are required to apply or interpret municipal or other noise related bylaws or regulations that can increase their effectiveness and reduce conflicts over bylaw enforcement.
W.A.L. has conducted workshops and seminars on highway noise, impact assessment and control, architectural acoustics and interpretation of the acoustical privacy and noise control requirements of the B.C. Building Code.
Mr. Wakefield has, on several occasions, provided expert services in the fields of environmental community noise impact assessment and control including the role of Technical Advisor to the Federal Environmental Assessment & Review Office Panels for the Parallel (3rd) Runway at Vancouver International Airport and the Roberts Bank Agriport. He has served as a consultant and expert witness in a group action suit over aircraft noise impacts resulting from the VIA 3rd runway and in various highway noise-related proceedings.