Advice on managing noise risks at work
A series of blog articles giving advice on managing noise risks in UK workplaces for compliance with the UK’s Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, from an experienced occupational noise assessor.
Managing noise risks at work, all about noise assessments, selecting hearing protection and issues experienced with hearing protection, training and legislative needs, health surveillance issues and how to practically manage it..
Noise assessments ● Noise surveys ● Hearing protection ● Health surveillance ● Noise Training
For a specific subject area, try the search box
Short subject-specific advice on various aspects of managing noise safety at work.
All advice and articles are written by me, The Noise Chap, a specialist noise assessor with over 30 years of experience in workplace noise assessment, including 20+ years now as a noise assessment consultant working in all industries across the UK.
I hold certification of competence in workplace noise assessment from the Institute of Acoustics, the NEBOSH Diploma and am certified in workplace hearing testing and a member of the British Society of Audiology.
The articles cover the noise assessment process itself and how to manage various aspects of managing workplace noise risks, including health surveillance and hearing protection, delving into very specific questions such as hearing protection for workers with pre-existing hearing losses, and including practical advice and examples to help employers comply with the Control of Noise At Work Regulations 2005.
All content is based on UK law and on the HSE’s L108, Controlling Noise at Work (Third Edition).
Review: Portwest PW77 Electronic Bluetooth Ear Defenders
Portwest have released the PW77 ear defenders which have Bluetooth for music playback, and are charging what appears to be an exceptionally good price for them, but are they any good? Short answer, yes.
Review: Portwest PW74 Dual SNR Ear Defenders
A review of the Portwest PW74 Dual SNR Ear Defenders. These a new and innovative product which allow the wearer to switch between noise reduction levels of 25 and 35 dB. But, what are they actually like in use?
How long does hearing protection last?
Most hearing protection does have a set life expectancy and will ‘expire’ after a set time, even if not in use. A typical shelf life for hearing protection is five years, or lower for more budget options. This is how long hearing protection can last for before needing to be replaced.
Specsavers Custom Ear Plugs at work
Specsavers sell a custom ear plug called Specsavers Advance Work, but appear to have no EN 352 certification or certified performance data. When you delve into the brochure their definition of ‘work’ appears to be DIY tools. Specsavers custom ear plugs should not be used at work as hearing protection.
Can employees opt-out of health surveillance at work?
Sometimes there can be push-back from employees regarding health surveillance at work, meaning in the case of noise the hearing testing element. Employers may be tempted to use a disclaimer that it was offered but the person(s) refused to attend, but is this legally compliant?
Buying hearing protection - don’t get caught out
There are a lot of hearing protectors available on places such as eBay and Amazon, some of which look quite slick, but they are not always a good choice for use at work. Sometimes they specifically don’t actually mention workplaces, while others have inaccurate listings or are missing key information.
RIDDOR consultation on reportable hearing damage
In 2026 the HSE issued a consultation document proposing changes to the UK’s RIDDOR rules, proposing the introduction of a new requirement for noise induced hearing loss to become a reportable disease.
Requirements for checking hearing protection condition
When it comes to noise assessments, managing noise risks and issuing hearing protection, employers need to monitor and enforce usage but also importantly have a system in place for checking the hearing protection is still suitable for use and is not deteriorating or damaged.
Over-protection in hearing protection - why stronger isn’t always safer
Over-protection often comes from well-meaning employers buying the strongest hearing protection they can find - hearing protection with the highest SNR. They mean well but it often actually increases risk and for the employer, means more of the money they spend on hearing protection is wasted.
Comparing methods for selecting hearing protection - SNR, HML and Octave Bands.
A need for hearing protection is a common outcome of a noise assessment or a noise survey but how do you choose the right hearing protection for your noise risk, especially as 'strongest is best' is usually not the case.
Noise levels vs exposure time
The UK’s Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 give 85 dB(A) as the main noise exposure limit, but that is 85 dB(A0 averaged over eight hours, not a single instance of exceeding it. This is an overview of how noise levels relate to exposure time.
Apple AirPods Pro 3 as hearing protection at work
Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 and their EN 352 certified hearing protection function are a potential game-changer in terms of what is possible with hearing protection. This is an overview of their use as hearing protection at work in the UK, my thoughts on them after trying them on noise assessments, and a comparison to the current best-in-the-business for Bluetooth hearing protection, ISOTunes.
Can music headphones be used at work?
Can someone use noise cancelling headphones in place of hearing protection in a high noise environment? For most headphones, no, they cannot be used as hearing protection. An exception is the Apple AirPods Pro 3 which do have an EN 352 certified SNR.
Hand dryer noise levels
If you have ever used a hand dryer in a toilet and thought that it sounds very loud then you are likely correct. These are some noise levels from various hand dryers.
Standards for hearing protection at work - EN 352 and its revisions
Hearing protection for use at work must be certified to EN 352. This is a dive into what EN 352 means, what the various revisions of it are and which ones are now defunct, and which are the current standards for hearing protection.
What do the hearing test result categories mean?
Part of a noise assessment is to identify who needs to be included in a hearing testing programme, and the HSE specify the result categories to be used. This is what the categories are and what they mean.
Are medical exemptions possible from a need to wear hearing protection?
It is common to hear someone claim a medical exemption from the need to wear hearing protection at work, sometimes backed up with a note or letter from a GP, or sometimes self-claimed, but are medical exemptions from the need to wear hearing protection possible?
What is a ‘Buy Quiet’ policy?
The Noise Regs say that employers should choose tools or equipment which have the lowest noise levels, and the HSE expand on this by saying employers should have a Buy Quiet purchasing policy, but what does this mean?
How often you need to repeat a noise assessment
A noise assessment does need to be reviewed or repeated from scratch sometimes, but you don’t always have to get someone in to do it. This is guidance on when to review a noise assessment or get a new noise assessment done.
What to do if someone refuses to wear hearing protection.
In a noise assessment, it is common to hear a comment along the lines of ‘we’ve given them hearing protection and told them to wear it, so what else can we do’, but that is not the end of the employer’s obligations for hearing protection.