The article addresses the problem of assessing the impact of road modernization on improving the acoustic environment. It formulates a hypothesis about the advisability of adopting the scalar dimension of the decibel space to describe acoustic hazards. It is proposed to reduce the analysis of changes in sound levels to the analysis of changes in the coefficient of exceedance of the recommended noise levels. Its value is determined by the decibel relation of dividing sound levels. The basis for the assessment of the effectiveness of the adopted solution was the analysis of the statistical characteristics of monitored exceedances of recommended noise levels, considered through the prism of the current and proposed measure. They showed greater sensitivity of the proposed coefficient in the assessment of the improvement of the acoustic climate caused by road modernization. For example, the median noise level for nights before the road modernization was 66.9 dB(A), and after the modernization 65.6 dB(A). However, the coefficient of exceedances decreased by approximately 25 %. Numerical simulations, in accordance with the Cnossos noise model, showed that reducing the speed by 10 km/h will reduce the coefficient of exceedances by approximately 20 %.

The hazard assessment of ultrasonic noise impact on human body at workplaces presents an open problem; it is not satisfactorily solved comparing the fund of knowledge and standard regulations established for the case of audible noise. Some research carried on in the Central Institute of Labour Protection - National Research Institute, Poland, are essential for elaboration reliable procedures for the assessment of ultrasonic noise hazard and they have to bring to modernization and creation the corresponding standards in this field. In the presentation, some problems related to measurement procedures applied as well as to the interpretation of results essential for hazard assessment of ultrasonic noise impact on human body will be considered; in particular such cases where some procedures elaborated for audible noise assessment are being transferred to apply in the ultrasonic range without taking fully into account some specific aspects of the high frequency components of the noise.