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).
Driving for work and noise exposures
One of the grey areas of noise safety is noise exposure while driving for work. By drivers I mean anyone driving as part of their job so the obvious ones like van or HGV drivers, but also driving around in a car or van - managers on site visits, sales reps, any person driving between sites or to customer sites, etc.
How often does hearing testing have to be done?
One of the key elements of a noise assessment is identifying who needs to be included in what the HSE call ‘health surveillance’, a slightly Orwellian way of saying ‘hearing testing’. It has to be repeated and this is a guide to how often.
Do forklift drivers have to wear hearing protection?
There is no exemption from the need to wear hearing protection for forklift drivers. High noise will have the same impact on them as on any other person. Their hearing will still be damaged by noise.
Noise levels in an office
A common question which comes up on noise assessments is what classes a dangerous noise in an office environment, with people asking what the safe levels are for noise in offices. The issue is often more about distracting noise rather than dangerous noise.
Risks to pregnant women and unborn babies from high noise
A client recently asked me if pregnant women are OK to work in an environment with a noise level which is considered ‘high’, so over 85 dB(A), or whether the noise can cause risk to either the pregnancy or foetus. That was an interesting one so I looked into it further.
Why workplace hearing testing (health surveillance for hearing) is broken
Why the UK’s hearing health surveillance system as required by the HSE in L108 is no longer fit for purpose, and why I stopped providing workplace hearing tests.
Best hearing protection for riding a motorbike?
Noise levels can be very high when riding a motorbike - easily in the mid-90s dB(A) which can damage hearing. Ear plugs need to be enough to remove some of the noise but not isolate you from traffic, and they need to be soft and not painful under the helmet. These are some recommendations.
Can ear plugs cause tinnitus?
Can wearing ear plugs cause tinnitus when worn all day in a factory?
Doing your own noise assessment
There is a temptation when told you need something as nebulous as a noise assessment to buy a cheap noise meter off somewhere like Amazon and crack on yourselves. It is of course possible to do a noise assessment yourself and these are the main point to watch out for and make sure you cover.
Noise assessments for non-routine jobs.
The Noise Regs focus on daily average noise risk levels for staff, but for some workplaces such as joinery workshops or small metal fabrication businesses, the daily variation in the work is such that an average noise exposure level on one day has no relevant to any others.
Best hearing protection for sleeping
This is a common question for hearing protection, be it due to external noise from life in a town or city, shift workers trying to sleep when everyone else is awake, trying to sleep in hotels, or just with a partner who snores a lot.
Best hearing protection for loud music?
Music can damage hearing just as much as other loud noise but this is one noise you probably do want to experience. This is a guide on hearing protection for music, be it attending concerts or playing as a musician - protection which will guard against hearing damage while letting the music sound natural.
Responsibility for hearing testing in Agency staff
One of the main outcomes from a noise assessment is often a need for health surveillance - hearing testing - and that applies to everyone regularly exposed to levels over 85 dB(A). Where it can get a little more complicated is agency staff, especially who is responsible for the hearing tests.