Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Employment lawLatest NewsWellbeingOccupational Health

New noise regulations come into force

by Mike Berry 6 Apr 2006
by Mike Berry 6 Apr 2006

Employers will need to turn the volume down today as new noise regulations come into force.
 
They aim to protect the hearing of up to two million workers and will see action taken at a much lower noise level than is currently the case.

Under the new regulations, the noise levels at which workers will be required to have hearing protection available, and the level at which they will be required to wear protection, have been reduced by 5dB to 80dB and 85dB respectively. 

One million workers in the UK are exposed to noise levels that could damage their hearing, and there are 170,000 cases of deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions caused by excessive noise at work, according to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

Neil Budworth, president of IOSH, said: “There is an enormous task to be done to raise awareness about preventing hearing damage caused by noise, and I hope that employers are ready to comply with the new regulations.
 
“It’s important to remember that we have people working longer hours and retiring later in life, which means exposure to noise can be greater than in the past.”
 
Many job sectors are likely to be affected by the new regulations, including agriculture, construction, quarrying and mining, transport and entertainment.

Although the music and entertainment industry officially has until April 2008 to comply while still meeting the ‘old’ requirements, Budworth strongly suggested they should take action now.
 
“These new requirements are a golden opportunity to preserve the hearing and quality of life of future generations of workers, and to prevent the feelings of social isolation that deafness can cause,” he said.

http://www.iosh.co.uk/

 

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

 

Mike Berry

previous post
Government unveils plans for Olympics employment drive
next post
Employment law timetable round-up: 6 April

You may also like

Performance management is broken: how can we rebuild?

11 Jul 2025

Gregg Wallace case: don’t be too hasty to...

11 Jul 2025

‘Replace sick notes with gym’, Streeting tells GPs

11 Jul 2025

Workers with second jobs at an all-time high

11 Jul 2025

How using data can transform return-to-office mandates

11 Jul 2025

Ministers loosen fire and rehire proposals in Employment...

10 Jul 2025

£188k tribunal award for director sacked after cardiac...

10 Jul 2025

It’s no secret – parity in the workplace...

10 Jul 2025

Firms’ salary secrecy means ‘they lose out on...

10 Jul 2025

Court of Appeal rules that Ryanair agency pilot...

9 Jul 2025

  • Empower and engage for the future: A revolution in talent development (webinar) WEBINAR | As organisations strive...Read more
  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today