Update Details: A new Health and Safety update has been issued on Noise at Work. The full article has been emailed to subscribers with the H&S updates preference and is available as a PDF on the Health and Safety Updates page.
Why Noise at Work Matters
Hearing damage from noise at work is permanent, and it builds so gradually that it usually comes to light years after the exposure that caused it. It is also one of the most preventable work-related illnesses there is. Noise has a safety side too: where people can't hear each other or a warning, the risk isn't confined to their hearing.
What the Noise at Work Update Covers
The update starts with the noise risk assessment: who is exposed, for how long, and why duration counts as much as loudness. It gives a simple test for whether noise needs assessing, and sets out the three levels in the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, the lower and upper exposure action values and the exposure limit value, with what each one requires of an employer.
It then covers controlling noise in practice, starting at the source with quieter equipment, buying quiet and maintenance, before turning to hearing protection: choosing it to suit the noise, making sure it fits and is worn, keeping alarms audible, and health surveillance for those who need it.
Getting the Full Noise at Work Update
The full article, together with the supporting risk assessment, policy and training documentation, is provided to subscribers as part of the update service.
Health and Safety updates are issued as part of the ISO and legal update service, so each issue is emailed to subscribers as it is published. Every issue is also listed on the Health and Safety Updates page, where anyone can see what has been covered and alphaZ subscribers can download the updates in pdf format, for topic-specific training or for sending out to workers.
