THE CONTROL OF NOISE AT WORK REGULATIONS
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll highlight the crucial requirements from The Control of Noise at Work Regulations and the implementation guidance, recently updated in 2021.
According to UK Research and Innovation, the true cost of hearing loss in the UK is £30bn a year – attributed to life-long treatment, mental health issues and lost economic productivity. Therefore, it’s extremely important to follow all regulations to protect against hearing loss.
Complying with noise at work regulations is vital for preserving staff’s hearing health. Regular exposure to high decibel (dB) sounds can cause tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
Specific noise regulations in the UK have evolved over the years since the first ones were written in 1989; therefore, it’s crucial for employers to stay up-to-date with the latest guidance.
Read on to learn about the history of The Control of Noise at Work Regulations and the changes made over time to better protect against hearing loss.
The Noise at Work Regulations 1989
The first HSE Noise at Work Regulations were published in 1989 and came into force a year later.
Key points from this original legislation included requirements for employers to:
Conduct a “noise assessment” if employees are likely to be exposed to 85 dB or more
Give “adequate information, instruction and training” about the risk of hearing damage to employees and how they can minimise this
Provide “suitable ear protectors” to reduce “the risk of damage to that employee’s hearing”
Make sure that hearing protection equipment is “fully and properly used” as well as being “maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair”
A key citation at the heart of the legislation was:
“Every employer shall reduce the risk of damage to the hearing of his employees from exposure to noise to the lowest level reasonably practicable.”
Every employee also had a responsibility to “fully and properly use personal ear protectors when they are provided by his employer”.
The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 were revoked in 2006 following the introduction of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005
A crucial change made in the HSE Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 was the lowering of the exposure limits.
In this current legislation, the noise exposure limits were reduced from the 85 dB and 90 dB action levels in the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 to:
The regulations also introduced:
Restrictions on permitted “weekly personal noise exposure levels”
Requirements for employee “health surveillance, which shall include testing of their hearing”
Research informing these new regulations included the report Occupational exposure to noise and hearing difficulties in Great Britain, prepared for the HSE by the University of Southampton in 2001.
Its conclusions were concerning, reporting that:
“Significant hearing difficulty and tinnitus are quite common, especially in men in the older working age range. Both are strongly associated with years of exposure in a noisy occupation, and these exposures arise largely in men. The burden of hearing difficulties attributable to occupational noise exposure in Great Britain is substantial.”
Controlling noise at work: supplementary guidance
To help employers understand their duties under The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, the HSE has provided an easy-to-read short leaflet outlining:
The harm that noise can cause
The legal duties of employers
How to identify if there is a problem with noise in the workplace
How to control noise and prevent harm
For staff, there is also a separate leaflet which runs through employees’ responsibilities according to The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, stressing their legal duties to:
Cooperate with employers to protect their hearing
Wear any hearing protection provided
Look after their hearing protection
Attend hearing checks
Report any problems
The instructions also list the different types of personal hearing protection that staff can use.
After all, while The Control of Noise at Work Regulations place a legal duty on employers to protect their employees’ hearing, employees themselves also have a part to play.
We now know that deafness is the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia, so it’s incredibly important for staff to also take responsibility for looking after their hearing.
Controlling Noise at Work Guidance: Third edition (2021)
To assist employers with the implementation of The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, accompanying guidance is available.
The third and latest edition, released in October 2021, can be found here. It was updated to leverage experience and take into account technical advances since 2005.
The third edition is divided into six parts:
Legal duties of employers concerning noise at work
Management and control of risks from noise
Practical examples of noise control
Hearing protection
Health surveillance for hearing damage
Selecting quieter tools and machinery
There is no fundamental change to HSE policy on the noise regulations of 2005 in the guidance but there is a clear emphasis on the control and management of risk or exposure.
It stresses the importance of suitable, sufficient risk assessments to identify everywhere with a risk of noise and everyone it is likely to affect.
Due diligence is essential to estimate likely noise exposure levels and evaluate the measures needed to control or manage them.
Summary: The Control of Noise at Work Regulations
In short, The Control of Noise at Work Regulations establish legal requirements around:
Exposure limit values
Health and safety risk assessments
Eliminating or controlling noise exposure
Hearing protection
Maintaining and using equipment
Health surveillance
Informing, instructing and training the workforce
Guidance is also freely available to employers – providing thorough advice on how to assess risks, control noise, select and use hearing protection, choose appropriate equipment and develop health surveillance procedures.
Noise exposure is the single largest contributor to deafness, so it’s crucial to control as well as reduce workers’ exposure to harmful levels and rates.
Protect your workforce from hearing loss with EAVE
At EAVE, we believe that NIHL has been far too common in the UK for far too long. As a starting point, it’s vital for employers to adhere to The Control of Noise at Work Regulations.
In particular, if you’re responsible for other people’s hearing, you should make sure staff are aware of the risks and have access to suitable protective equipment. It’s also essential for staff themselves to use this equipment consistently and correctly.
To see how EAVE’s noise management and intelligent hearing protection solutions support compliance with The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, please contact us or book a demo today.