Overview
EN ISO 11690-2:2020 - "Acoustics - Recommended practice for the design of low-noise workplaces containing machinery - Part 2: Noise control measures" is an international/CEN-endorsed standard that addresses the technical aspects of reducing workplace noise from machinery. The document focuses exclusively on audible sound and provides practical guidance on noise control at the source, along transmission paths, and at workstations. It is the 2020 (second) edition and supersedes earlier editions.
Key topics and technical requirements
The standard explains the range of technical noise-control measures and the acoustical quantities related to them. Major technical topics include:
- Noise control at the source: design considerations, use of low-noise machines, modification or replacement of components, maintenance and low-noise production technologies.
- Transmission-path control: spatial arrangement of sources, use of enclosures, silencers, barriers and screens, and sound-absorbing materials.
- Structure-borne and airborne sound: guidance on isolation, structure-borne sound insulation and partition performance.
- Workstation measures: local shielding, localized absorption, and ergonomic placement of tasks to reduce exposure.
- Verification methods: procedures for checking performance of sources, devices and rooms (measurement and validation methods are outlined).
- Annexes: informative guidance on component modification, source arrangement, enclosures, silencers, barriers, surface treatment, structure-borne insulation, airborne partitions, workstation control and examples of new technologies.
The standard does not prescribe numerical limits but describes which measures are appropriate, their typical magnitudes of noise reduction, and how to verify effectiveness - enabling informed engineering decisions.
Applications
EN ISO 11690-2:2020 is intended for practical implementation in:
- Industrial plants and factories containing machinery
- Workshop and manufacturing facility design and retrofits
- Equipment suppliers developing low-noise machinery
- Facility planners and architects integrating acoustic measures into layouts
Use cases include selecting low-noise equipment, specifying enclosures or silencers, arranging machine layout to minimize combined noise, and validating noise control installations.
Who should use it
- Acoustic and mechanical engineers
- Health & safety officers and occupational hygienists
- Plant managers, procurement and maintenance teams
- Architects and facility planners
- Machine and equipment suppliers
Related standards
EN ISO 11690-2:2020 is part of the ISO 11690 series on designing low-noise workplaces and complements measurement and evaluation standards for occupational noise exposure and other acoustics guidance. Refer to other parts of the ISO 11690 series and national/CEN guidance for measurement methods and exposure assessment.
Keywords: EN ISO 11690-2:2020, noise control measures, low-noise workplaces, acoustics, machine noise, workplace noise reduction, sound absorption, silencers, enclosures, structure-borne sound.
