Distant Sound Signals Trouble In European Marketplace
That low rumble from equipment manufacturers on the far side of the Atlantic signals a storm brewing over tighter noise regulations for construction equipment. The European standards, first passed in 2002, are scheduled to drop the permissible limits by 3 dB on Jan. 1, 2006. It remains to be seen if the distant thunder foreshadows a brief but harmless squall or a full-blown tempest that will eventually reach North American shores.
The Europeans point out that theyve cut equipment noise in half over the past decade. But the technology may be reaching its limits. "Ninety-seven percent of our members machines will be in compliance," says Ralf Wezel, secretary general of the Committee for European Construction Equipment (CECE). While there is "no doubt that the new noise standards will improve the quality of life" in densely populated European urban centers, they will pose problems for several types of equipment, Wezel says.