HTM 56 Partitions - Healthcare Buildings

Health and Technical Memorandum 56 contains an alternative method to HTM 2045 for the specification of acoustic partitions in healthcare environments, with other design considerations.

The level of sound insulation required between adjacent spaces can be calculated using the principles outlined in HTM 2045 and is based on the following considerations for the relevant areas:

• the subjective privacy requirements

• the mechanical services noise levels.

In all cases, the most stringent privacy requirements and services’ noise levels should be used as the basis for determining the level of sound insulation required.

When voices are raised, the sound level in the source room can be increased by up to 20 dB. Therefore, to achieve the same level of privacy, the performance of the separating elements needs to be increased.

Where noise-creating departments are part of a main building, care must be taken to separate them as far as possible from sensitive areas such as wards. In particular, when the main kitchen, which is a constant source of both impact and airborne noise throughout the day, has to form part of the main complex, it should preferably be sited below, and not above sensitive areas to facilitate the insulation of equipment and machinery and to reduce the spread of impact noise.

Special attention must be paid to both siting and internal planning of units such as children’s wards, maternity units, nursery wards, accident and emergency departments, and out-patient departments, some of which are generators of noise and some of which require protection from noise.

It has been found, for example, that the noise level in a nursery can be as high as 80dB at night. High maximum noise levels are likely to be encountered, for example, in a delivery room, which should have sufficient privacy between units to minimise distress during labour.

Noise can easily spread through a building via the corridors and the use of acoustically absorbent ceilings will help to reduce this transmission.

Noise can also be transmitted through the mechanical services installation where ductwork penetrates partitions and floor/ceilings. Crosstalk attenuators need to be provided in these penetrations to maintain privacy.