Risk Assessment for Noise in Workplace
It is critical that a full noise risk assessment is made on site by a qualified HSE individual to ensure that you spec the correct type of ear defence with a sufficient protection rating for your working environment. This kind of risk assessment will take a number of factors into account, including comprehensive in situ noise monitoring, whether there any methods of controlling the sound levels locally and whether the current solution you are employing is sufficient for your team’s hearing protection needs. They will likely also look into training for you and your staff on the correct deployment of your chosen solution, and, help to ensure that these are correctly fitted by the user in order to maintain optimum protection.
Is an assessment really necessary? I only have a small team
Absolutely – just 30 minutes of exposure to 85dB of noise can cause permanent hearing damage. To put this in perspective, this is about the noise of a typical food blender. You may feel the noise level is not high enough to cause damage, however, you may be putting yourself at risk should you not perform an assessment.
How do we arrange an assessment? Can we do this through you?
There are large number of independent Noise Survey specialists available to visit your workplace to perform an assessment. They are easy to find, however, this is not a service that we offer at this time.
Do your ear defenders conform with current standards?
Yes, all of our ear defenders adhere to the current EN 352 standards for ear defence.
I’m a mobile worker who goes where I’m needed, should I still perform a risk assessment?
You should absolutely do so – whilst your location may change, if you are using high-noise producing equipment this can still be assessed by the appropriate HSE agent.