To give our customers the best possible support and backup, we’ve introduced our “No Quibble” warranty policy.

Cirrus Research plc offer new products with a two year return to base warranty against all faults.

This warranty is extendable, one year at a time, up to a maximum of fifteen years, if the products are calibrated annually with Cirrus Research plc, or a Cirrus Calibration Centre.

In short, if your instrument is calibrated annually, with Cirrus Research plc, then you can enjoy peace of mind for up to 15 years, through our industry leading “No Quibble” warranty policy.

You can download a copy of the terms and conditions of the warranty from our website. Click here to download the information as a PDF.

This week is Noise Action Week and as part of our support for our nominated charity for 2012/2013, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, anyone taking part in Noise Action Week can submit a photograph of their activity into Noise in Action Photo Competition.

One of the images featured on our 2013 calendar will be from Noise Action Week so don’t forget to enter the competition and you could win £150 of Amazon vouchers.

More details of the competition can be found on the website at www.noisephotocompetition.com.

What is AuditStore™?

AuditStore is a new technology that helps you to ensure that your noise measurement data is valid and trustworthy. AuditStore allows the user to verify measurements that have been downloaded to the NoiseTools software against a secure data store within the instrument.

This allows the user to present data with confidence and to have the facility to verify that the measurement data has not been modified or adjusted.

The AuditStore technology is available, as standard, on all optimus sound level meters with firmware version 2.4 or later (March 2012). Downloading the AuditStore data requires NoiseTools version 1.4 or later.

How is AuditStore useful?

When you make a noise measurement with your optimus, the information about the noise levels are stored in your sound level meter.

When you download this information your PC using the NoiseTools software, the data is stored in a database. This information can be used to print out a report which may be used to show compliance with standards or regulations. When you present the data as a printout or a PDF for example, how can you guarantee that the information shown is the same as that which was originally measured by the sound level meter?

With the software that is available on PC’s, it is possible to manpiulate data or create what appears to be a noise measurement report with data that has been changed.

The AuditStore function allows you to verify your measurements and to state that the information being presented is true and has not been adjusted in any way.

How does it work?

Each time you make a measurement with your optimus, a selection of the overall data is stored into a separate, secure memory that is independent of the main memory card. This data contains essential information about the measurement such as the time, date and duration, the LAeq, Peak(C) and LAFmax, LA10 & LA90 (where available) and the overload indication.

In addition to the noise measurement data, information about the last calibration is also stored.

What is the information used for?

The AuditStore data can be downloaded from the instrument when required and then the measurements can be checked against the AuditStore. Note that the AuditStore data is not downloaded automatically and is not downloaded at the same time as the main measurement data.

The NoiseTools software will check that the measurement information held in the main database and displayed on the screen matches the values within the AuditStore secure memory. NoiseTools will display verification symbols if the information matches, a unique feature which will be useful in any legal proceedings.

Can the AuditStore be manipulated?

No. The AuditStore data held in the instrument cannot be access by any means other than by the NoiseTools when the user requests a download. Once the AuditStore data has been downloaded, it is encrypted using a secure method and stored into a separate database from the main measurement information.

How many AuditStore records are saved?

The AuditStore memory stores up to 30,000 measurements and when this is full, the oldest measurements will start to be over written. This means that the most recent 30,000 records are available when the memory is full.

Do I have to use the AuditStore?

No. The AuditStore is provided as a unique feature of the optimus sound level meters but there is no requirement for you to use it.
If you decide not to use the AuditStore, there is no impact upon the operation of your optimus sound level meter.

How much does AuditStore cost?

The AuditStore is supplied free of charge for 12 months from the instrument’s date of birth (This is the end of the quarter in which the instrument was created). After 12 months free use, you will need to purchase a licence which will unlock the AuditStore for a further 3 or 5 years. There is also a cost option to reinstate a lapsed AuditStore.

When is the AuditStore available? 

AuditStore is available, as standard, on all Cirrus optimus sound level meters with firmware version 2.4 or later (March 2012). Downloading the AuditStore data requires NoiseTools version 1.4 or later.

It is possible to upgrade the firmware within an older optimus sound level meter to allow the AuditStore function to operate.

This is available for most optimus sound level meters manufactured after March 2011.

For details, please contact Cirrus Research or your local representative.

Cirrus is delighted to announce the appointment of EMS Environmental Monitoring Systems Ltd as its official distributor for Ireland.

Export Sales Manager Jonathan Phillips commented “We are pleased to welcome EMS to the Cirrus distributor family and in particular we would like to welcome EMS Director Chris Searles. Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in instrumentation and worked with Cirrus for many years at Mason Technology.”

EMS will provide sales and support for Cirrus noise measurement instruments in Ireland which compliments their range of Air Quality, Gas, VOC, Vibration and Emissions monitoring equipment.

Along with Cirrus, EMS represents Environics, Gfg Europe, NEO, Sensidyne Gillian, Sick Optic, Signal Instruments and Thermo Fisher Environmental.

Contact details for EMS can be found on their website at www.emsys.ie and Chris can be contact on (353) 1 885 3954.

We’ve uploaded a new set of support videos for NoiseTools to our video website at www.cirrusresearch.tv

These can also be found on our Wiki & Knowledgebase site at wiki.cirrusresearch.co.uk

We’ve uploaded a new set of videos for the NoiseTools software covering topics that we’ve been asked about over the past few months.

These are available on a number of our websites including:

http://www.cirrusresearch.tv/

http://wiki.cirrusresearch.co.uk/video-tutorials/

http://www.youtube.com/user/CirrusResearch

If your connection is quick enough, you can get these in glorious 720p HD!

NoiseTools Videos

If you have any topics that you’d like us to cover, use the form on the right hand side of this page and we’ll be happy to help!

We’re hiring! We’re looking for a web developer to join our Marketing team.

Reporting to the Group Marketing Manager, you will be responsible for PHP/MySQL web development in a LAMP environment. You will be involved in the on-going development of our existing websites as well as development of new sites.

You will also be involved in usability and on-page conversion rate optimisation and back-end systems development. Key technologies include MySQL, PHP5,, Linux, Apache, HTML, CSS, Javascript, JQuery, etc.

The role will be based in our head office in Hunmanby, North Yorkshire.

Find out more on our website here or download the job description here.

Cirrus is now able to offer a UKAS calibration service for your sound level meter and acoustic calibrator, even if it is not a Cirrus instrument!

UKAS Calibration of Sound Level Meters

We can now offer this service, not only on our own sound level meters such as the optimus and the CR:800 instruments, but also on products from other manufacturers such as B&K, CEL Casella, Rion, Norsonic, Larson Davis, 01dB, Quest, Svantek and TES.

We can offer UKAS or Traceable Calibration to BS 7580 on wide range of sound level meters as well as UKAS Calibration on a smaller number of instruments to BS EN 61672 Part 3.

BS EN 61672-3:2006 

For newer sound level meters that have been designed to meet the BS EN 61672 standard, such as the optimus sound level meters, verification can be carried out in accordance with BS EN 61672-3:2006 as modified by UKAS TPS 49 Edition 2:June 2009 for Class 1 and Class 2 meters originally manufactured in accordance with IEC 61672-1:2002 (BS EN 61672-1:2003).

BS 7580 Part 1:1997

For older instruments that were designed to meet BS EN 60651 and/or BS EN 60804 (which have both been superseded by BS EN 61672), verification can be carried out in accordance with BS 7580 Part 1:1997

Verification of Type 1 Sound level meters originally manufactured in accordance with BS EN 60651:1994 and/or BS EN 60804:1994 and for which required correction factors are known and agreed.

UKAS Calibration of Acoustic Calibrators

We can also provide UKAS calibration on a wide range of acoustic calibrators whether these are supplied with a sound level meter or not.

Find out more and get a quotation

We can provide this service on a wide range of different instruments from different manufacturers. To get a quotation for the verification of your sound level meters and acoustic calibrators, call our customers services department on 0845 230 2434 or email sales@cirrusresearch.co.uk.

Here’s an interesting article that has just been published in the Noise and Health Journal discussing the exposure of employees in music venues in the UK. For the study, the authors used the doseBadge Noise Dosimeter! Thanks to @NoiseHelp for the original Tweet.

Here’s the abstract:

Noise in most working environments is an unwanted by-product of the process. In most countries, noise exposure for workers has been controlled by legislation for many years.

In the music industry the “noise” is actually the “desired” product, and for a long time the UK entertainment industry was exempt from these regulations. From April 2008, however, it became regulated under the Noise at Work Regulations 2005, meaning that employers from orchestras to nightclubs are legally required to adhere to the same requirements (based on ISO 9612:2009) for controlling noise exposure for their staff that have been applied to other industries for many years.

A key question is to what degree, 2 years after implementation, these employers are complying with their legal responsibilities to protect the staff from noise? This study assessed four public music venues where live and/or recorded music is regularly played. Thirty staff members in different roles in the venues were monitored using noise dosimetry to determine noise exposure.

Questionnaires were used to determine work patterns, attitudes to noise and hearing loss, and levels of training about noise risk. Results showed that the majority of staff (70%) in all venues exceeded the daily noise exposure limit value in their working shift. Use of hearing protection was rare (<30%) and not enforced by most venues. The understanding of the hazard posed by noise was low, and implementation of the noise regulations was haphazard, with staff regularly exceeding regulatory limits.

The implication is that the industry is failing to meet regulatory requirements.

Keywords: Music, NIHL, noise exposure, occupational noise, regulations, venues

Barlow C, Castilla-Sanchez F. Occupational noise exposure and regulatory adherence in music venues in the United Kingdom. Noise Health [serial online] 2012 [cited 2012 Apr 30];14:86-90.

Available from: http://www.noiseandhealth.org/text.asp?2012/14/57/86/95137

Silvia Anguera - Sales Support Administrator, Cirrus Research S.L.

Cirrus Research, especialista en el diseño y fabricación de equipos de monitorización del ruido, se complace en anunciar la apertura de su nueva oficina española.

Cirrus Research S.L., situado en Barcelona, será un punto de ventas, marketing y actividades de soporte para los instrumentos de medición del ruido de Cirrus Research plc en el mercado español.

Silvia Anguera, la última incorporación en el equipo de Cirrus, ha sido nombrada administradora de apoyo de ventas para la nueva oficina de Cirrus Research en Barcelona y será el primer contacto para nuestros clientes españoles.

Silvia comenta: “Estudié filología inglesa porque siempre he estado interesada en la cultura anglosajona así como en las lenguas extranjeras en general, por eso también empecé a estudiar alemán en la universidad. Tras varias experiencias laborales, he trabajado en el área de apoyo al cliente desde 2003 actuando de enlace entre los clientes, el equipo español y oficinas internacionales. Siempre he buscado la oportunidad de trabajar en entornos internacionales, donde pudiese hablar en inglés y ello me permitió desarrollar mis aptitudes comunicativas en esa lengua. A lo largo de mi experiencia laboral he realizado un gran número de tareas administrativas esforzándome por ofrecer un buen servicio tanto pre como postventa al cliente en el mercado español.

Otro de mis intereses es la accesibilidad para personas discapacitadas y, por ello, hace dos meses grabé un audiolibro. Y, aunque construir un mundo mejor para ese colectivo resulta satisfactorio, siempre es mejor prevenir problemas futuros, y eso es precisamente lo que hacemos en Cirrus Research.”

Rick Heap, director commercial de Cirrus Research plc añadió: “Estamos encantados de acoger a Silvia en la familia Cirrus y también entusiasmados por las oportunidades que esta nueva oficina nos puede aportar. Para Cirrus supone una progresión lógica tener representación local en España y estamos deseosos de dar un buen servicio a nuestros clientes durante muchos años.”

Toda la línea de sonómetros, dosímetros e instrumentos de medición del ruido ambiental de Cirrus estarán disponibles, por primera vez, directamente en el mercado español. Así como también el dosímetro doseBadge, los únicos y excepcionales sonómetros Optimus y una amplia gama de accesorios complementarios y paquetes de software.

La nueva web de Cirrus Research S.L. está a su disposición: www.cirrusresearch.es y puede enviarnos sus consultas al e-mail info@cirrusresearch.es

Cirrus Research S.L.

Travessera de Gràcia, 62  4° 7ª

08006 Barcelona  SPAIN

T: 0034 933 622 891

E: info@cirrusresearch.es

W: www.cirrusresearch.es

Sobre Cirrus Research plc

Cirrus Research plc, fundado en 1970, es líder experto en la creación y producción de instrumentos para mediciones del ruido.

Especializados en el diseño y la producción de equipos de medición del ruido, utilizan los últimos desarrollos científicos y tecnológicos para producir equipos de instrumentos para medir el ruido y su impacto.

Los instrumentos para la medición del ruido de Cirrus se fabrican en el Reino Unido y se usan en una gran variedad de aplicaciones y en diversas industrias.

Cirrus es parte del Plan de Proveedores de Seguridad Registrados de la Federación Británica de Industria para la Seguridad  ( British Safety Industry Federation’s Registered Safety Supplier Scheme), la cual reconoce su organización y productos como ‘genuinos y seguros’, y asegurando a los clientes que los productos suministrados son auténticos y debidamente testados y certificados.

Cirrus Research plc es una compañía certificada por la ISO 9001:2008 y la ISO 14001:2004 y es un patrocinador clave del Instituto de Acústica del Reino Unido (UK Institute of Acoustics).