Share thisRenovation work, especially the resulting noise and vibration in or adjacent to occupied vivaria, has a direct effect on the health and well-being of animals, and therefore on any research being carried out.
Renovation work, especially the resulting noise and vibration in or adjacent to occupied vivaria, has a direct effect on the health and well-being of animals, and therefore on any research being carried out. For example, some mice will stop breeding, eating, and sleeping in normal cycles and, in some cases, the more sensitive strains will die as a result of the stress inflicted upon them by the noise and vibration caused by adjacent construction. Therefore, it is crucial to develop proactive measures during design phases and incorporate them into the construction documents and contracts. This will ultimately help protect the safety and comfort of the animals and maintain the integrity of ongoing scientific research.
The most important process in controlling the impact of noise and vibration is continuous communication throughout the life of the project - from design through construction - so that requirements are identified, understood, documented, and complied with. During design phases, the architect and researchers must determine what levels of, and when, various types of noise and vibration will be acceptable during construction. The architect and owner must agree on what types of mitigation and costs are acceptable within given budgetary and time constraints. The architect must communicate such requirements to the contractor by means of the construction documents, and advise the owner on how to incorporate certain requirements into the contract. Finally, during construction, the contractor's work must be monitored for compliance with these requirements.
The first order of investigation during the design phase is determining if the existing facility (or campus) has any unused animal space that could be used as swing space during construction. The animals can be relocated away from the site prior to the start of construction and then moved back once construction is completed. The contractor, once on board, can then schedule construction phase activities in the way that is most efficient for the progress of the work, without concern about potential impacts on the animals.
Determining the Criteria
So what do you do if you don't have swing space? Start planning for the following five issues right from the outset:
Issue 1: Establish acceptable noise and vibration levels.
What are the maximum acceptable levels? While rodents can tolerate 85 decibels for restricted periods of time, it is generally accepted that noise should be controlled at a maximum 65 to 75 decibels where animals are housed on an ongoing basis. The acceptable noise levels for no-impact, low impact, moderate impact, and high impact construction activities should be reviewed with each owner and established for the particular species and research involved.
Issue 2: Plan out the construction schedule with both user and contractor input.