Control of Noise at Work Regs 2005

As of Sunday 6 April the ‘Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005’ come into force for the music and entertainment sectors, bringing them in line with all industry sectors in Great Britain where the regulations became enforceable on 6 April 2006.

Environmental Health Officers from Carlisle City Council during the coming weeks will be writing to businesses in the entertainment sector in the District where there is the possibility of staff being exposed to excessive noise. Officers will be on hand to offer help and advice to help businesses to comply with the legislation so that their staff are protected.

Noise is part of everyday life, but loud noise can permanently damage hearing. Young or old, once you lose your hearing you can never get it back. These new regulations have been introduced to better protect workers from noise at work.

The main change in the legislation has been to lower the level at which action is needed. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 now state that measures need to be taken once noise reaches 80dB – 5dB less than the previous regulations.

As a simple rule of thumb, you may have a problem if you have to raise your voice to be heard by someone just 2 metres away, for at least part of the day. Above this level of noise, a risk assessment must be performed and hearing protection must be made available.

Above 85dB, hearing checks are needed and hearing protection must be used. There is also an exposure limit value of 87 decibels, taking account of any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection, above which workers must not be exposed.

Quote:

Deputy Carlisle City Council Leader and portfolio holder for Environment and Infrastructure Cllr Ray Bloxham said:

‘’ The introduction of this legislation to include the entertainment industry goes a long way to further protecting employees in the District, thereby ensuring that employers protect the long-term health of their staff. With over one million employees in Great Britain exposed to levels of noise at work, which could damage hearing, the new regulations aim to protect workers from risks to their health arising from exposure to noise and are to be welcomed.’’

FAQ’S

Am I at risk?

You are at risk if you can answer 'yes' to any of these questions about the noise where you work:

• Is the noise intrusive - like a busy street, a vacuum cleaner or a crowded restaurant - for most of the working day?
• Do you have to raise your voice to have a normal conversation when about 2 m apart for at least part of the day?
• Do you use noisy powered tools or machinery for over half an hour a day?
• Do you work in a noisy industry, e.g. construction, demolition or road repair; woodworking; plastics processing; engineering; textile manufacture; general fabrication; forging, pressing or stamping; paper or board making; canning or bottling; foundries?
• Are there noises because of impacts (e.g. hammering, drop forging, pneumatic impact tools etc), explosive sources such as cartridge-operated tools or detonators, or guns?
• Do you have muffled hearing at the end of the day, even if it is better by the next morning?

Symptoms and early signs of hearing loss:

• Conversation becomes difficult or impossible
• Your family complains about the television being too loud
• You have trouble using the telephone
• You find it difficult to catch sounds like 't', 'd' and 's', so you confuse similar words
• Permanent tinnitus (ringing, whistling, buzzing or humming in the ears) can also be caused. Generally hearing loss is gradual. By the time you notice it, it is probably too late. The message is act early.

How do I protect myself?

• Co-operate. Help your employer to do what is needed to protect your hearing. Make sure you use properly any noise control devices (e.g. noise enclosures), and follow any working methods that are put in place. Also attend hearing checks. This means you need to take some responsibility for your hearing.
• Wear any hearing protection you are given. Wear it properly (you should be trained how to do this), and make sure you wear it all the time when you are doing noisy work, and when you are in hearing protection areas. Taking it off even for a short while means that your hearing could still be damaged. Remember that there is no cure for deafness.
• Look after your hearing protection. Your employer should tell you how to look after it and where you can get it from. Make sure you understand what you need to do.
• Report any problems with your hearing protection or noise control devices straight away. Let your employer or safety representative know. If you have any ear trouble, let your employer know.

Full text of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and the full text of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 1989 can be viewed online. For more information visit www.hse.gov.uk/noise