Managing Workplace Noise: H&S Employer Guide for Noise at Work Regulations

Noise is caused by rapid fluctuations in air pressure (or other gaseous media) which affect the human body.

These pressure fluctuations are often caused by the vibration of plant, equipment, and cones in loudspeakers or musical instruments. Pressure fluctuations, which are detected by the human ear, are classified as “sound”. The term “noise” is often used to describe unwanted sound.

Why Controlling Noise at Work Is Important:

Exposure to high noise levels, either continuously or as a loud sudden acoustic shock can have several physiological and psychological effects on employees including stress, tinnitus and if exposed to loud noises at work over long periods, even permanent hearing loss.

If your employees use hand-held tools, these may cause vibration in their hands and arms. Learn how to prevent vibration-related harm here: Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome:  Why Employers Need to Prioritise This In 2024

Hearing Thresholds:

The human ear is incredibly sensitive to varying sound pressure levels.

We can hear the faintest sounds at the lower threshold of hearing, – the slightest rustling, and air movement.

At the upper range of hearing (the volume at which noise becomes physically painful and damages the ear irreparably), there is (10 billion) times as much sound energy impacting the ear.

Because of this enormous range, noise is calculated and measured using logarithmic units, known as “decibels”, where an increase of 3dB represents a doubling of the sound pressure level (acoustic energy).

Ears convert sound waves into electrical impulses. Ears have delicate inner workings that once damaged cannot be repaired.

Noise becomes hazardous when it occurs at high levels or continues for a long time.

When levels of noise exposure in the workplace become harmful to health several serious health issues can arise, therefore early detection and prevention are key.

• Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) can be caused by a single exposure to loud noises at work or by exposure to raised noise levels over a prolonged period. Short-term hearing loss can be experienced as a result.
• Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS). Most people have experienced this at some point in life, for example, coming out of a noisy club and feeling partially deaf. This usually disappears within a few hours, although it can take over 24 hours to disappear completely.
• Permanent Threshold Shift (PTS). This is more likely to occur where there is insufficient recovery time between incidents of TTS, or where the circumstances causing TTS occur regularly.
• Tinnitus is a continual ringing in the ear, causing disruption to sleep and affecting speech. It may be a result (among other things) of extended exposure to excessive noise in the workplace and can be temporary or permanent.
• Presbycusis is the loss of hearing as a result of growing old. The hearing loss is progressive, with the high frequencies being affected first. While the process begins after 20 years of age, it is often between the ages of 55 and 65, that the high frequencies in the speech range begin to be noticeably affected.
• Trauma damage to the ear – examples of this include fractures of the temporal bone, puncture of the eardrum by foreign objects and sudden changes in air pressure. Persistent exposure to excessive workplace noise levels can contribute to stress at work. Noise and vibration in the workplace that interfere with communication can contribute to accidents, for example, verbal warnings or alarms may not be as effective if they are harder to hear.

TIP: If you sense that you have reached workplace noise levels where a conversation between 2 people at a range of approximately 2 meters is barely audible – then you are probably experiencing noise levels that could be deemed detrimental to health.

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to take action to prevent or reduce risks to health and safety from noise at work.

The Regulations require employers to:

• Evaluate the risks to your employees caused by noise in the workplace.
• Implement measures to decrease the noise exposure that leads to those risks.
• Supply your employees with hearing protection if reducing noise exposure through other means is insufficient.
• Ensure that the legal noise exposure limits are not surpassed.
• Offer your employees information, guidance, and training.
• Conduct health monitoring in situations where health risks are present.

The noise at work legislation stipulates specific actions to be taken at defined action values, which include:

• Employee noise exposure levels averaged over a working day or week.
• Maximum noise (peak sound pressure) employees experience in a working day.

The values are as follows:

• Lower exposure action values:
  • 80 dB(A) for daily or weekly exposure.
  • 135 dB(C) for peak sound pressure.
• Upper exposure action values:
  • 85 dB(A) for daily or weekly exposure.
  • 137 dB(C) for peak sound pressure.

  Limit values: Additionally, there are noise exposure levels that must not be surpassed, known as exposure limit values:

• 87 dB(A) for daily or weekly exposure.
• 140 dB(C) for peak sound pressure.

When Do You Need to Provide Hearing Protection?

Hearing protection must be provided if employees ask for it and their workplace noise exposure is between the lower (80 dB) and upper exposure action values (85 dB).

Employers must provide hearing protectors and make sure employees use them properly when their noise exposure in the workplace exceeds the upper exposure action values (85 dB)

It is important to remember that a workplace noise risk assessment must be completed before conducting any work activities liable to expose persons to noise at a level that might harm health.

• The different types of noise in the workplace, the level, type, and duration of exposure
• The effects of exposure to noise on employees or groups of employees whose health is at particular risk from exposure (e.g. Those who may already be suffering from noise-induced hearing loss)
• Any information provided by the manufacturers of work equipment regarding noise output, availability of alternative equipment designed to reduce noise emissions
• Any information provided by direct noise measurement of work equipment/work areas from existing risk assessments or noise surveys
• The availability of personal hearing protection with adequate sound attenuation characteristics where noise emissions are likely to remain at levels considered potentially detrimental to health

Where the risk assessment determines that noise levels are significant and the effects of exposure are likely to have adverse effects on health, action must be taken to reduce workplace noise exposure.

The risk assessment must identify ways of controlling noise exposure, including how much reduction can be achieved and how the continuing effectiveness of those control measures can be verified and documented records maintained.

It is always preferable to prioritise engineering control to reduce workplace noise levels where possible to decrease exposure and minimise noise generation through process redesign, modifying transmission routes, enclosing a particular piece of machinery or redesigning the layout of the workplace.

As you evaluate different noise control measures in the workplace, consider the following questions/options:

• Can the work be performed in some other quieter way?
• Can the work equipment generating the noise be replaced with something less noisy?
• Can you modify the paths by which the noise travels through the air to the people exposed?
• Can you use machine enclosures to reduce the noise emitted into the workplace?
• Can you position noise sources further away from employees?
• Can you avoid metal-on-metal impacts, e.g. line chutes with abrasion-resistant rubber & reduce drop heights?
• Can you add material to minimise vibration (‘damping’)?
• Can you isolate vibrating machinery or components from their surroundings?
• Can you fit silencers to air exhausts and blowing nozzles?

Working patterns:  Employee working patterns should be considered to address workplace noise problems, reducing the number of employees working in hazardous areas or the length of time they spend in those areas, including separate noisy and peaceful areas or using noise refuges. Administrative controls should ensure that only persons who need to be in a hearing protection zone enter and do not stay longer than is necessary.

Engineering and Administrative Controls: Reducing workplace noise levels

If it is impossible to reduce noise levels sufficiently by using quieter work equipment or introducing engineering or administrative controls, then suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) must be used for controlling noise at work.

Where employees are likely to be exposed at or above the upper action values compulsory hearing protection zones must be identified in the workplace. Access to these zones must be restricted where possible, and warning signs should be positioned to indicate that ear protectors must be worn while in the designated area at all times.

Provide employees with training and information on the use and maintain hearing protectors. Employees must understand the risks they may be exposed to. Where employees are exposed to loud noises at work above the lower exposure action values, inform them of the likely noise exposure and the risk of hearing this creates.

Health surveillance must be considered where employees are likely to be exposed at or above threshold limits and where the risk assessment identifies that the frequency and severity of exposure may pose a health risk. When health surveillance is required, hearing testing programmes must start with a baseline test before noise exposure. This must be supplemented by a regular series of checks at defined intervals. Checks may need to be undertaken more frequently if any problem with hearing is detected or where the risk of hearing damage is high.

Health surveillance provides an early warning when employees might be suffering from onset signs of hearing damage from noise and vibration in the workplace, allowing for early intervention to prevent further damage and check that control measures are working.

HR, Health & Safety departments and those overseeing employee welfare should have a strong grasp of these noise-at-work regulations.

• Being aware of and comprehending these regulations can create a safer work environment and support the health and wellness of employees.
• Ultimately, this can result in enhanced employee well-being, decreased absenteeism, and boosted productivity.
• Furthermore, showcasing a dedication to employee safety can elevate your company’s reputation.

Identify if you have a noise problem! If you’re unsure whether you have all the necessary noise control measures in place, perhaps now would be a good time to seek out more information to see what support is available. Get in touch with our expert H&S team today by visiting Avensure Contact!