Measurements of Noise from Chain Saws
Two files containing about 65 Head Quarters Mechanical Development Committee Reports from 1950 to 1958 were saved from destruction by Jim Christie former Forestry Commission HQ, Plant Engineer. Jim, from Crook of Devon, has kindly made the reports available for scanning and entry onto this website. Please open the PDF to see this full report.
Report No 71 is an important milestone as it describes the first tests to evaluate the noise from working chainsaws. It describes how the National Physical Laboratory cooperated in the testing of three small chainsaws and one brushcutter in various modes of working. Complex measurements were taken through the octave ranges and tabulated. Surprisingly at this time there was little scientific information on the levels of noise which were permanently damaging to the ear apart from a tentative American study.
It seems to have been concluded that the machines did have the potential to cause some permanent damage but only if used continuously through the day for day after day. There was some reduction of noise when using the experimental silencer but it also reduced the power output from the saw.
Groups: Forestry Mechanical Engineering Reports , Other Vehicles and Machines