Keep The Noise Down

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 came fully into force for all industry sectors in Great Britain on 6 April 2008.  The 2005 Regulations revoked and replaced the Noise at Work Regulations 1989.

The purpose of the latest Regulations is to ensure that employees do not suffer damage to their hearing as a result of excessive noise in the workplace.  Under this legislation, employers have a legal duty to:

• Assess the risks to employees from noise at work. Take action to eliminate the risks or if this not reasonably practicable, reduce the noise exposure that produces those risks
• Provide employees with hearing protection if noise exposure can’t be reduced sufficiently by other methods
• Make sure that the legal limits on noise exposure are not exceeded
• Provide employees with information, instruction and training
• Carry out health surveillance where there is a risk to health

Identifying whether you have a noise problem at work will depend on how loud the noise is and how long people are exposed to it.  As a simple guide, you probably need to do something about the noise if any of the following apply:

• Do your employees use noisy powered tools or machinery for more than thirty minutes each day?
• Is the noise intrusive – like a busy street, vacuum cleaner or a crowded restaurant – for most of the working day?
• Do your employees have to raise their voices to carry out a normal conversation when about 2 metres apart for at least part of the day?
• Is your industry noisy eg construction, woodworking, engineering, plastics processing etc?
• Are there noises due to impacts (e.g. hammering, pneumatic impact tools etc) or explosive sources or guns?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of the above questions, you may need to carry out a noise risk assessment to help you decide what you need to do to ensure the health and safety of employees exposed to noise.  You also need to ensure that, as a business, you have comprehensive employers’ liability insurance in the event of a claim.

Detailed information on the requirements of The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 can be found on the Health and Safety Executive’s website.

To find out more about carrying out risk assessments and to obtain a competitive quote for your business insurance or liability insurance, contact your chosen Cherrypicked Insurance broker.

Last reviewed 7/11/2011

Source: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0.  © Crown Copyright Health and Safety Executive

To talk to an expert in your area and get a quote, contact your local insurance broker.