01-30-06 Special Called City Council Retreat Meeting of La Porte City Council

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effective system provided you specify an adequately -sized line and use a "ball valve," • which can be opened quickly. A Trench Drain in the Run - Here, a floor drain is located in the trench that runs through the back of the runs, offering a more space -efficient solution than a drain behind the run. Like the flushing floor drain system, a water line is stubbed into either end of the trench, so that you can flush the trench itself. To minimize cross -contamination between runs with this method, install a grate or raised -floor system to keep dogs out of the trench. Or, you might consider covering the trench with a raised -floor sleeping bench at the back of the run. The concrete subcontractor forms the trench, or you can specify a prefabricated corrosion -resistant polymer concrete unit and grate. Either way, the trench usually is located at the back of the run, allowing a staff member standing in front of the run to "chase" the wastes into the trench. NOISE CONTROL Controlling noise is a significant issue, not only for the comfort of the staff, public, and the animals, but it can also be a legal concern. OSHA has specific standards for noise abatement in the workplace with which few shelters comply. Methods of combating noise pollution are Absorption, Isolation, Dissipation, and Masking. • Absorption The way to absorb sound is to use porous, sponge -like materials. Carpet, drapery, foam rubber, acoustic ceiling tile, and sprayed -on fibers are all sound -absorbing materials. They have a high NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient). For example, a concrete floor has an NRC of .005, whereas carpet has an NRC of about .75. This means the carpet, in relative terms, absorbs 75% of the noise that hits it. Other sound -absorbing materials that could be used within a boarding area where durability and cleanliness are an issue are: • Mylar-faced ceiling baffles NRC 0.95 • Quilted blankets/banners hung from ceiling NRC 1.10 • Fabric -wrapped wall panels NRC 0.90 • Sound block (concrete block with slots and foam inside) NRC 0.35 Isolation The second step in controlling noise is isolating it within a specific area with a wall or ceiling assembly that has a high mass. A wall material or assembly that is effective at dampening noise is said to have a high STC (Sound Transmission Coefficient). For example, a typical gypsum board partition built on 2 x 4 wood studs has a STC of approximately 34. This means that the wall effectively keeps 34 decibels of sound from • being transmitted through to the other side. Increasing the mass by doubling the layers of gypsum board on each side increases this same assembly to STC 45. If we then add 1 %° sound batts between the studs, we can increase the STC to 53. The practical limit 4