Defence conducts study into effects of aircraft noise on children's hearing at RAAF childcare centres
Children exposed to loud noise even once could have their hearing damaged, a hearing expert says, as a study begins into the impact of jet aircraft noise on kids in childcare centres on Air Force bases.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) said it was conducting a study at childcare centres on Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bases in Darwin, Amberley and Williamtown to check how noise from jet planes could affect the hearing of children enrolled in the facilities.
"Recently we were advised that there is an emerging body of international research that suggests that children may respond to noise differently to adults," Group Captain Richard Lennon told ABC Local Radio 105.7 in Darwin.
"While the childcare centres were found to comply with Australian workplace health and safety standards, we are not sure what the effect on the children is."
Group Captain Lennon said a study was now underway to learn more about the noise impact on children, with a report due by February 2015.
"The information we have so far, even from our specialist in the UK, indicates that the risk is very small," he said.
He said new aircraft, such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters expected to arrive in Australia in 2018, will not make a significant difference to noise levels.
One-off exposures to loud noise could be damaging
But Professor of Audiology at the University of Melbourne, Richard Dowell, said even a one-off exposure to noise over 100 decibels could damage children's ears.
"As soon as you are over 80 decibels and that is right through the day, then there is some potential, and we should be thinking about it," Professor Dowell said.
"If it was over 100dB for kids, I think I would be getting worried."
A jet aircraft can create noise of about 140 decibels for those nearby, and a plane flying 160 metres overhead would still generate a noise of about 116 decibels, Professor Dowell said.
The runway at the Darwin RAAF base is about one kilometre away from the childcare centre.
Professor Dowell said at that distance noise levels from jet aircraft could still be around 100 decibels.
But without knowing exactly how much noise children at the childcare centres were exposed to, it was difficult to know whether they would be harmed by the noise levels, he said.
He said he had only experienced military jets flying overhead during a flyover at the AFL grand final in Melbourne when they were at least 100m above his head.
"It was unbelievably loud. If we had a sound level meter there I am absolutely sure it went above 100 (decibels)," he said.
The childcare centres run by Defence take enrolments from members of the general population as well as the families of defence personnel.
