Alarm & paging acoustics on offshore installations

Offshore Oil & Gas installations rely upon communication systems to facilitate production, provide general announcements and alert personnel to potentially hazardous situations. Most often, the public address & general alarm (PA/GA) system is used to convey this information. Designing a PA/GA system that may be heard and comprehended under normal working conditions can be a daunting task. Many times the design of acoustics is left to chance and begins at the end of a projectpsilas lifecycle. This paper should educate individuals about acoustics, the requirements for audio levels offshore and how to design a speaker system to meet these requirements.