WHAT IS NOISE?
Noise is defined as any unwanted or unpleasant sound and unfortunately everyone is exposed to noise every day whether at home, at work, or in traffic.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN?
If employees, like anyone, are subjected to excessively or prolonged high noise levels it can lead to loss of hearing, short or long term, or tinnitus. Hearing loss isn't reversible - when it's gone its gone! Sadly it's estimated that in excess of 2 million employees in the UK are at risk of hearing damage in some form or other through exposure to workplace noise. The dangerous bit is that workplace noise affects us without us really noticing until it is too late.
NOTE - The Lower Exposure Action level is 80 dbA with the Upper Exposure Action level being 85 dbA
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Workplace induced hearing loss is preventable! As an employer you are required under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 to carry out risk assessments and provide measures to protect your employees hearing. Providing collective Control Measures are better than a single Control Measure.
If there are operations or areas within the site that are considered to be noisy the employer has a duty to ensure any implemented control measures that are in place will effectively protect everyone who is regularly exposed to high noise levels.
Fortunately there are many cost effective and practical ways of providing protection to your employees, and yourself, but to ascertain what these need to be a noise risk assessment needs to be carried out by a Competent Person.
At CSATS we can cover this topic for you by carrying out the risk assessments required and by offering advice in the hope of being able to cut down on workplace noise. Obviously we can also work in conjunction with you or your health and safety champion utilizing any appropriate forms that you might already have.
Remember these assessments have to be reviewed on a regular basis.
If you contract us to carry out your initial risk assessments there is NO obligation on you to re-commission CSATS to carry out the reviews but we can do this either as a separate project or part of your retainer package if you have taken us on as your competent person.
For further information on this topic please click here to access a pdf download.
CSATS Ensuring Safety AT Work
