Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • 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
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • 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
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Occupational HealthWellbeing

Sound practice: new noise regulations

by Personnel Today 10 Apr 2006
by Personnel Today 10 Apr 2006

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 – which implement the European directive (2003/10/EC) – mean that as of yesterday (6 April 2006), it is no longer acceptable for employers to simply provide hearing protection for staff. Noise risk itself must now be managed and reduced.

The levels

As well as changing the emphasis of the regulations from the previous Noise at Work Regulations 1989, the action values (the levels of exposure where action needs to be taken by an employer) have also been changed. The eight-hour noise dose levels have been reduced, and new peak action levels have been introduced. Previously, there was only one peak action level at 140dB (see boxes below for summaries of the new action values).

Assess the risks

The latest directive on risk assessment of the noise places much more emphasis on the risk assessment of noise. The purpose of this is to make a decision on whether staff are at risk from exposure to noise.

The assessment does not have to be complex to assess exposure. Measurements are required if it is not possible to estimate the noise exposure. But many employers will wish to gain measurements to demonstrate that the exposure is below a certain value, therefore showing compliance with the regulations. The whole purpose of the risk assessment is to identify measures required to eliminate or reduce risks, so that control measures can be implemented and protection can be given to staff.

Industry standard control measures should be introduced as a matter of course to reduce the noise risk. This could involve reducing noise at source, controlling the path of noise, buying quiet machines or controlling exposure times. Many examples of practical noise control measures can be found on the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) website (www.hse.gov.uk), or within the HSE noise guidebook. If an employer is not competent in this area, they should use an ‘expert intermediary’, such as a consultant.

For higher risk cases, putting a plan in place, along with implementing technical and organisational noise-control measures is necessary.
Protection devices should be used as the initial way to reduce the risk to hearing, but these should only be used until the noise risk can be reduced by other control measures. The use of such aids should be mandatory for high-risk cases while working on technical and organisational control measures. The use of hearing protection devices should be managed with areas marked as hearing protection zones, instruction and supervision.

Health checks

An employer should provide systematic audiometric hearing checks for employees who are regularly exposed to noise above the upper exposure action values, or those exposed to levels between the upper and lower exposure action values who might be sensitive to noise, for example, employees with existing hearing damage.

These checks can identify symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and show whether a noise control programme is failing. This is a way of using the results to review controls and further protect individuals. Records should, of course, be kept of employees’ audiometric assessments.

Any changes made to working practices or noise exposure need to be regularly reviewed, and a company policy will need to be put in place to reflect this.

Conclusion

The new regulations provide new emphasis on protecting staff at work, and new systems will need to be put in place to reflect this. A book has been produced by the HSE, with details on the policy changes and how to implement them. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005: Guidance on the regulations (HSE book L108, ISBN number 0717661444), is available from HSE books.

www.hsebooks.com/Books

Tim Turney is product manager for noise instrumentation at Casella CEL and an affiliate member of the Institute of Acoustics. Queries may be made on 01234 844133, or e-mail [email protected]



Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Butlins faces £1m staff payout over power charges
next post
Scottish council gives equal pay cash to the wrong people

You may also like

Record prostate cancer screenings post-pandemic

24 May 2022

Signs of severe eating disorders often missed, warns...

23 May 2022

GPs call for new OH service to relieve...

23 May 2022

Occupational health key to helping employers manage long...

23 May 2022

Three in 10 say physical health has worsened...

20 May 2022

Obesity prevalence projections show 36% will be obese...

20 May 2022

Nurses leaving due to pressure and workplace culture

18 May 2022

NHS pressures leaving thousands waiting for cancer diagnosis

17 May 2022

Long NHS waits meaning many with long Covid...

17 May 2022

Grants scheme set up to support women’s health...

16 May 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...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 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • 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
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today