Request ID: FOI-0779-2122 Date published: 03 August 2021
You asked
Please can you outline the detail of what measurements you take.
Please include the following:
- who is accountable for the risk of health to passengers within TFL?
- who reviews these measurements, how are they advised on what is safe and what isn’t?
- please provide a detailed method of how you physically take noise measurements, a schedule when these are conducted on the Victoria line specifically and at what times exactly. This should be straight forward to supply as a third party would need to provide method statements before carrying out this type of work.
- please provide the device equipment make and models including how they are setup to record the noise measurements.
- please detail what the sound level tolerances you have set to be safe, please can you use sound decibels readings.
- please provide the last 12 months records of these measurements you have taken which you would have needed to supply in a format to your risk. committee, so this would need to be in layman’s terms which can be interpreted by a more senior less technical decision maker.
The reason I am asking for this information is to review this with an expert and understand whether as a passenger it is actually safe to use the tube as transport. As it stands I don’t feel satisfied with the information you have provided.
We answered
TfL Ref: EIR-0779-2122
Thank you for your email of 14th July 2021 asking for information about noise on the Victoria line. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy.
I can confirm that we hold the information you require. Your questions are answered in turn below:
Question 1: who is accountable for the risk of health to passengers within TFL?
Answer: Our Chief Safety, Health & Environment Officer is Lilli Matson.
Question 2: who reviews these measurements, how are they advised on what is safe and what isn’t?
Answer: Noise exposure is assessed in accordance with action and limit values specified in the “Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005”. These reports undergo technical review by a Noise and Vibration Engineer before being issued to stakeholders.
Question 3: please provide a detailed method of how you physically take noise measurements, a schedule when these are conducted on the Victoria line specifically and at what times exactly. This should be straight forward to supply as a third party would need to provide method statements before carrying out this type of work.
Answer: Measurements are made in driving cabs to assess Train Operator exposure to noise. These assessments are conducted with respect to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Guidance on the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (HSE Publication L108). Noise is measured in the driving cab of in-service trains during normal operating conditions. There is not a specific schedule for when these surveys should take place, but our Technical Services team last conducted noise measurements on the Victoria Line in April 2019 and March 2021 following joint tasking from Line Operations, Occupational Hygiene and our Safety, Health and Environment team. Question 4: please provide the device equipment make and models including how they are setup to record the noise measurements.
Answer: Noise is measured in Train Operator driving cabs using a Sound Level Meter (a 01dB Fusion Sound Level Meter) which is configured to log various metrics including A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level, C-weighted peak sound pressure level and one-third octave band equivalent continuous sound pressure level.
Question 5: please detail what the sound level tolerances you have set to be safe, please can you use sound decibels readings.
Answer: Action and limit values for occupational noise exposure are specified in the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, the values are as follows:
Lower exposure action value - LEP,d or LEP,w of 80 dB(A); LCpk of 135 dB(C) Upper exposure action values - LEP,d or LEP,w of 85 dB(A); LCpk of 137 dB(C) Exposure limit value - LEP,d or LEP,w level of 87 dB (A); LCpk of 140 dB(C)
Question 6: please provide the last 12 months records of these measurements you have taken which you would have needed to supply in a format to your risk. committee, so this would need to be in layman’s terms which can be interpreted by a more senior less technical decision maker.
Answer: See the table below - noise was measured at the Train Operator position during normal operations on the Victoria Line 03-04 March 2021 (BRI = Brixton, WAC = Walthamstow Central):
Date
Departure
Cab
Start
End
Duration (mins)
LAeq dB(A)
LCpeak dB(C)
03 Mar
0950
11038
BRI
WAC
29
84
115
1027
11055
WAC
BRI
30
85
116
1101
11058
BRI
WAC
-
-
-
1140
11021
WAC
BRI
30
84
116
1218
11090
BRI
WAC
31
85
116
04 Mar
0938
11032
BRI
WAC
-
-
-
1013
11089
WAC
BRI
29
84
118
1049
11016
BRI
WAC
30
81
112
1125
11079
WAC
BRI
32
84
119
1203
11094
BRI
WAC
31
84
114
1242
11033
WAC
BRI
30
83
116
If this is not the information you are looking for please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
