Some sound advice
April 1st 2005

The European Physical Agents (Noise) Directive 2003/10/EEC will be implemented into UK Legislation in February 2006. The new, reduced personal noise exposure levels set in the Directive may mean that employers currently unaffected by the current noise levels, or who comply with current legislation, are likely to need to review their workplace noise assessments and take steps to ensure that they comply with the new legislation.

Under the Noise at Work Regulations 1989, employers are legally obliged to reduce risk of damage to employees’ hearing and take specific actions where the noise exposure of their employees is likely to be at or above any of three ‘action’ levels:

Currently, the first action level is set at an 8-hour average noise exposure level (or daily personal noise exposure level) of 85dB(A). The second action level is set at a daily personal noise exposure of 90dB(A). The peak action level is a peak sound pressure of 200 Pascals.

When the new Physical Agents (Noise) Directive is implemented, the first action level will be lowered to 80dB(A) (with a peak value of 112 Pascals) and will be called the Lower Exposure Action Value. The second action level will be lowered to 85dB(A) (with a peak value 140 Pascals) and will be called the Upper Exposure Action Value. The Exposure Limit Value (ELV) is 87dB(A) and 200 Pascals. This limit value will take into account the reduction afforded by hearing protection and is the noise level at the ear under the hearing protection.

It is the employer’s duty to reduce risks to employees.

If workplace noise levels are likely to be at or above 80dB(A), a noise assessment must be carried out by a competent person. Daily personal noise exposure levels can be determined by measuring sound pressure levels at different places in which the person works, different tasks carried out during the course of a day and time spent at each task. However, the HSE considers that if it is obvious that there is a noise issue, measurements may not be necessary. Employers must take steps to reduce noise at source and reduce workers’ exposure to noise where reasonably practicable.

Where it is not possible to sufficiently reduce noise at source or significantly reduce exposure time, and noise levels reach 85dB(A) or above; from February 2006 employers must supply employees with hearing protection equipment, safety information and training.

Employers must also supply hearing protection to employees on request and where noise levels reach between 80dB(A) and 85dB(A). There are many types of hearing protection products, including earmuffs and earplugs. Hearing protection suppliers can advise on the suitability of types of hearing protective products for different working environments, compatibility of hearing protection products with other personal protective equipment and other issues such as fit and personal choice.

Safe noise levels can be exceeded in a diverse range of working environments. Employers may find that they have a noise problem in their workplace if people have to shout to be clearly heard by someone standing two metres away, if people’s ears ring after leaving the workplace or if people use equipment that causes loud, explosive noises. Engineering workshops, sawmills, foundries, bottling plants, construction sites and textile mills are prime examples of workplaces where noise levels may exceed the new action levels. However, it is not just industrial machinery and power tools that cause excessive noise levels in the workplace: a loud radio can emit 65-70dB(A), a heavy vehicle 7 metres away can produce around 95dB(A) and a pig-house at feeding time can generate an incredibly loud 100dB(A).

Recent research estimates that around 170 000 people in the UK are suffering from deafness, tinnitus (ringing, whistling, buzzing or humming in the ears) or other hearing defect. The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 require the reduction of noise exposure to protect employees from the risk of hearing loss or damage.

Permanent damage/hearing loss can occur either immediately e.g by exposure to sudden, extremely loud, explosive noises, or over gradual periods of prolonged exposure to loud noises. Once ears have been permanently damaged by noise there is no cure. Hearing damage can also cause sleeplessness, stress and be a safety hazard at work, interfering with communication and making warnings harder to hear, not to mention the effects on family and social lives of not being able to hear normal day-to-day conversations.

Reducing noise by just 3dB(A) can be the equivalent of halving the intensity of the noise, meaning that a person could work for twice as long at the reduced level, within the new guidelines. For more information on the European Directive 2003/10/EEC, the new Noise at Work Regulations and HSE Advice for Employers, please visit www.hse.gov.uk/noise.

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