Smart Tools Co. had developed a suite of tools that may be useful to the Loss Prevention/Safety professional.
One of the most interesting is the Sound Level Meter (SLM) application for Android devices. This application attempts to turn your smartphone into an SLM and it kind of does, with a few caveats.
In side by side comparisons with a real SLM the phone app performed well. This device can be used as screening tool but should not be used in compliance surveys due to the inability to conduct pre and post measurement calibrations, the limited human voice frequencies it responds to, and the loud noise cut offs.
Remember: the smartphone microphones were aligned to the human voice (300-3400Hz, 40-60dB). Therefore, the maximum values are limited by the manufacturers. The very loud sound (100+db) cannot be recognized.
So when you are on the job and are wondering just how loud that operation is, feel free to use this app to get an estimation and/or decide if further evaluation might be needed utilizing more comprehensive noise monitoring equipment. When using this app just keep the limitations in mind.
I downloaded the app, and it works great! I like FREE stuff that actually works – easier on the budget.