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SR/96/005 Acoustic baseline survey Tuesday 13 September 1994 1 drawing, 1 schedule, 13 reference recordings on ¼-inch tape Condition: tapes transferred 2026

Before anything else was measured at the Site, the acoustics office measured the rooms themselves: what each one sounds like with its people in it, going about an ordinary day. These are those recordings. Headphones are recommended. Some rooms are very quiet.

Surface administration block, ground floor, with acoustic positions one to six CANTEEN PAY OFFICE GRILLE BADGE OFFICE PORTERS CLEANING TYPING POOL SWITCHBOARD MAINTENANCE W.C. WARM CORRIDOR STAIR TO LOWER LEVELS NOTICEBOARD YARD CLOCK OVER DOORS 1 2 3 4 5 6 SURFACE ADMINISTRATION BLOCK · GROUND ACOUSTIC POSITIONS 1–6 NOT TO SCALE DRG AC/94/01 13.9.94 · ACOUSTICS Positions 7–13 are below ground: see schedule. Position 14: not surveyed.
No reel loaded Level — dB(A) Counter 0000
Select a position on the drawing or the schedule.

Acoustic baseline survey · schedule of positions

Acoustics office  ·  Tuesday 13 September 1994  ·  Sheet 3 of 3

No.PositiondB(A)Remarks
1Warm corridor, empty, 03.0038Floor set by the ventilation plant below and the clock over the doors.
2Warm corridor, shift change, 14.1571Speech throughout. The corridor does not drop below conversation for the full eleven minutes.
3Canteen, at the counter57Speech, cutlery. Refrigeration at 100 Hz.
4Pay office, at the grille41Coins. A clock. A ledger.
5Switchboard44Relays. Ringing tone, next room.
6Typing pool63Typewriters (4). Bell at each line end.
7Requisition registry, level two33The quietest room on the Site with a person in it. Cage light.
8Duty office, level one, night40Ventilation. Lamp. One occupant.
9Mess52Speech. Cutlery.
10Pump house72Pumps (2), continuous. Staffed continuously.
11Laundry64Drums (3). Steam.
12Generator gallery79Loudest position. Hearing protection worn.
13Observation gallery29Quietest position on the Site. Recommended as the room reference for all future work.
14Cell Four—Not surveyed. No access.

Levels are L90, dB(A), over eleven minutes, with each room occupied as normal. An unoccupied room gives a lower figure, and is of no use as a reference.

Reference recordings: ¼-inch tape, 7½ in/s, one reel per position. Copies held by the acoustics office.