Noise at Work Regulations

Overview of the Regulations

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 came into force on 6 April 2006. The objective of the Regulations is to ensure that workers’ hearing is protected from excessive noise at their place of work, which could cause them to lose their hearing and/or to suffer from tinnitus (permanent ringing in the ears).

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 requires employers to prevent or reduce risks to health and safety from exposure to noise at work.

• Employers must assess the risk to workers’ health and provide information and training at noise levels above 80dB
• Employers must provide hearing protection at noise levels about 85dB
• Employees must not be exposed to noise levels above 87dB

Employees also have duties under the Regulations to properly use hearing protection and noise control measures that are put in place.

General advice for employers

• Introduce engineering controls
• Modify the paths by which the noise travels through the air to the people exposed
• Design and lay out the workplace for low noise emission
• Limit the time spent in noisy areas – every halving of the time spent in a noisy area will reduce noise exposure by 3dB
• Identify workers at risk from hearing damage and prepare an action plan to control noise exposure
• Determine the daily noise exposure of workers
• Identify additional information to comply with the legislation eg whether noise control measures or hearing protection are needed and if so, what type
• Keep a record of any noise assessments carried out and ensure they are regularly reviewed
• Use the assessments to develop an action plan for introducing noise control measures

How CMS Acoustics can help

The nature of many organisations, especially the construction or industrial sectors, means that loud noises simply cannot be removed altogether without impeding business. However, the noise can be controlled and damage to hearing be prevented.

CMS Acoustics offers cost effective solutions for substantial industrial noise reductions, with little or no effect on normal operation or use:

• Acoustic panels provide noise control and when used properly eliminate the requirement for machine guarding (Plant room lining panels).
• Absorptive materials within the building reduce reflected sound, eg open cell foam (Class O polyurethane non-flammable foam).
• Airborne noise can also be reduced from a duct or opening by lining the last bend in the ductwork with acoustic absorbent (Mineral fibre slabs type MF).
• Duct vibration can usually be treated by damping (as above) (Superlag).
• Metal-on-metal impacts should be avoided (Damping sheet type DS).

For more details on products to aid compliance with the Regulations, please contact CMS Acoustics on 01925 577711.