Noise at Work - Advice for Employers

The Health & Safety Executive estimated in 1999 that 1.3 million people in the UK were exposed to noise levels which could damage their hearing and that 170,000 people already suffer from deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions as a result of excessive noise at work. Once hearing has been damaged it can not be repaired – the individual affected is disabled for the rest of their lives.

The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 introduced legislation to control noise levels in the work place. It is relevant to you whether you are an EMPLOYER or an EMPLOYEE. As a rule-of-thumb guide, noise is likely to be at hazardous levels wherever people have to shout or have difficulty being heard clearly by someone about two metres away. Where there is any doubt Employers should arrange for some measurements of the noise to be taken in a few representative places. If this suggests that any workers might be exposed to the first action level or above you will need to carry out a full noise assessment.

Statistics show that 56% of employers neglect noise problems. Of the remaining 44% of employers, only 54% have had accurate noise surveys carried out. This means that only 1 in 4 Employers are managing workplace noise exposure correctly.

The consequence of not managing noise exposure properly can be a damaged workforce and high costs for the Employer and/or their Employer's Liability Insurers. Quantum is rising, and the legal costs will often dwarf the compensation payout. (Average costs to companies are in excess of 10k). We made a presentation on this subject in September 1999 to the Association of British Insurers. The title of the presentation was Myths, Mysteries and Historical Noise Data.

The Health and Safety Executive have good information resources on their website. Links to it are provided on this site. An excellent document "Reducing Noise at Work – Guidance on the Noise at Work Regulations 1989" (ISBN 0-7176-1511-1) is available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 6FS Tel: 01787 881165.