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Does This Concern Me?
• Are there times at work when you have to shout to communicate and be heard and understood?
• Are you near noisy machines, part of, or all day long?
• Are you near noisy impact tools, angle grinders or hammers?
• Does noise interfere with verbal instructions or safety signals?
The Law
Exposure to loud noise can cause permanent damage to your hearing. It may be temporary but it can often be permanent. It can take the form of hearing loss but can also result in sensations of permanent noise or ringing in the ears, known as 'tinnitus', which can prove even more distressing. Employers have a legal duty under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations to reduce the risk of hearing damage to their employees and there are actions which must be taken if noise reaches and exceeds certain defined limits.
What Are The Limits?
The limits are based on 'Action Levels' - the levels at which action must be taken to reduce the harmful effects to those who are exposed to the noise.
The first action level is set at 85dB (decibels) averaged over an eight-hour day. At this level, information and training to employees on the health implications associated with noise must be provided by the employer. The employer must also make free hearing protection equipment available.
The second action level is at 90dB. Above this level, an employer must do all that is reasonably practicable to reduce noise levels, using whatever control measures are available. Until effective controls can be put in place use of hearing protection is mandatory. Every area affected by noise above 90dB must be declared a mandatory noise zone, with appropriate signs posted to that effect. The employer must also conduct regular health surveillance, involving hearing checks on employees.
Decibel Levels
• A normal conversation can register between 50dB and 60dB
• A busy high street might register between 78dB and 85dB
• A compressed-air line can register between 100dB and 115dB
• A chainsaw can register between 115dB and 120dB
Noise Risk Assessment
A noise risk assessment is necessary if there is any reason to believe that noise may exceed the first action level. A rough indication of when this level has been reached is when people have difficulty conducting a conversation at a range of about 2 metres apart. Findings must be properly documented, including the actual exposure calculations where they exceed the first action level. Then an action plan must be produced and the information made available to those who could be exposed to the risks.
Noise Protection
Once the noise level exceeds the first action level, an employer must provide hearing protection if an employee requests it. Should the noise exceed the second level, an employer must provide hearing protection whether or not it has been requested. They must also do all that is reasonably practical to ensure that employees use it properly. If employees refuse to comply, disciplinary action can be taken. Various types of hearing protection are available, depending on the environment in which the noise is occurring. However, some basic requirements must be met:
• It must be at least effective enough to reduce noise exposure below the second action level
• It must be compatible with any other kind of personal protection which may be in use
• It must be suitable for the circumstances and environment in which it is going to be used
Dangers That Noise Can Pose
Apart from the risk of hearing damage, whether temporary or permanent, there are other risks associated with excess noise in the workplace. It interferes with communication in general and makes it more difficult to hear warning signals and alarms. Noise can also be a distraction, particularly sudden loud sounds, which can startle people who are working around potentially dangerous machinery. Noise is often cited in stress complaints.
Prevention First
It should be emphasised that Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) should only ever be considered as a last resort. Employers should first seek to eliminate or reduce the intensity of the noise by engineering measures and/or reduce the amount of time that employees are exposed to it. Noise can present a real hazard in the workplace and its effects may take some time to become evident, but when they do, it is often too late to do anything about it. As a health and safety issue, noise is a prime example of 'an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure'.
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