RMP have worked on the management, control, and mitigation of vibration for over 50 years, supporting a wide variety of sectors in new and existing developments. An understanding of the source and available vibration control measures often results in a multifaceted approach. This requires a coordinated input from specialist manufacturers by RMP to obtain approval from the client, authority, and critically the affected individual/group.

If you have a Vibration query, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Here are some of the areas we can help you with:

Construction noise & vibration monitoring

Developments near existing buildings can cause occupant complaints and building damage. Whether requested by a Local Authority, a brand standard or a contractual agreement, noise & vibration monitoring can quantify exposure/risk and set limit values for early warning systems. RMP have years of experience installing vibration monitoring stations all across Scotland, with real-time feed & access to monitoring data so any contractual or regulatory limits are not exceeded, or warnings received in suitable time.

Groundborne noise & vibration assessment

Noise-sensitive developments (e.g. residential or office accommodation) next to underground subway or railway tunnels need to control groundborne noise to prevent excessive disturbance to sleep or work requiring concentration. An assessment may be a requirement by the Local Authority, a brand standard, or a contractual agreement.

RMP has years of experience monitoring vibration on sites pre-development (on open sites), during construction (on foundations such as pile caps) and post-construction (inside the building to correlate with grounborne noise), advising on the specification of anti-vibration bearings. We can work with suppliers of anti-vibration bearings and the design team to establish the mitigation package pre-construction. In some cases, we have used our auralisation suite to model the effects of using different isolators.

Hand-arm vibration workplace assessments

Hand-arm vibration services look to assess and mitigate the risks associated with exposure to hand-arm vibration in the workplace. These services are crucial where workers regularly use handheld power tools or machinery that transmit vibrations to the hands and arms, such as in construction. RMP consultants have worked on several hand arm vibration projects to measure and quantify the levels of hand-arm vibration generated by various tools and machinery. This data helps in determining the extent of exposure and identifying high-risk areas within the workplace. We propose recommendations for implementing controls to reduce hand-arm vibration exposure. This could involve modifying equipment, introducing vibration-dampening technologies, or redesigning work processes to minimize vibration transmission to ensure the workplaces remain compliant with relevant occupational health and safety regulations and standards governing hand-arm vibration exposure.

Gym noise & vibration

Gyms within existing buildings adjoining residential accommodation or offices can cause complaints due to gym noise and/or vibration. Weight drop tests are the best means of determining what acoustic treatments are going to be required. Please see our page dedicated to gyms for more details, but vibration measurements are key to specifying effective mitigation, in particular on noisy sites where accurate noise measurements are challenging to take.

Vibration control in buildings

Vibration-emitting machinery can adversely impact adjacent offices or residential accommodation. Equally, vibration-sensitive machinery may need isolation from an existing or proposed building structure. Measurements of operating machinery or desktop assessments based on manufacturer data will help determine design specifications for vibration isolation products in order to ensure that vibration mitigation measures put in place are effective.

Key vibration standards and guidance

Assessment can be provided to all the key vibration standards and guidance:

  • BS 6472-1&2:2008 Guide to evaluation of human exposure to vibration in buildings. Vibration sources other than blasting, and Blast-induced vibration.
  • BS 5228-2:2009+A1:2014 Code of practice for noise and vibration control on construction and open sites. Vibration.
  • ANC Guidelines ‘Measurement & Assessment of Groundborne Noise & Vibration’ 3rd edition (2020).
  • The Control of Vibration Regulations 2005.
  • BS EN ISO 5349 – 2:2002 – Measurement and evaluation of human exposure to hand-transmitted vibration – Part 2: Practical guidance for measurement at the workplace.
  • ISO – 2631 – 1: 1997 Mechanical vibration and shock – Evaluation of human exposure to whole body and shock Part 1: General requirements.
  • BS 7385 -1: 1990 (ISO 4866:1990) Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings – Part 1: Guide for measurement of vibrations and evaluation of their effects on buildings; Part 2: 1993 Guide to damage levels from groundborne vibration.
  • BS 6841:1987 British Standard Guide to the measurement and evaluation of human
  • exposure to whole-body mechanical vibration and repeated shock.
  • ISO 8569 Mechanical vibration and shock – Measurement and evaluation of shock and vibration effects on sensitive equipment in buildings.

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