Why do we need the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005?

On April 6, 2006, the Control of Noise at Work regulations 2005 came into force in all industry sectors in Britain, apart from the entertainment and music industry. The entertainment and music industry’s Noise at Work regulations were enforced on the sector in April 2008.

The purpose of the Control of Noise at Work regulations, commonly shortened to the Noise Regulations, is to protect the hearing of workers from excessive noise levels whilst they are at work. Being exposed to loud volumes of noise regularly, can lead to permanent hearing loss or to a condition known as tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears.

The Control of Noise at Work regulation 2005 replaced the previous control of noise at work directive of 1989.

The control of noise

The 2005 regulations stipulate a series of standards which employers of all industrial sectors, as well as the entertainment and music sector, must conform to in order to remain compliant and protect the hearing of their workers.

The principle stipulation of the regulations is the level of decibels regarded as actionable. If a daily or weekly average noise exposure level reaches 85 decibels or above, an employer has a legal duty to provide employees with hearing protection. If the average weekly or daily exposure of noise levels reach 80 decibels, under the Control of Noise at Work regulation 2005, an employer must provide information and training to their employees. An exposure limit is also in place of 87 decibels, which takes into account the reduction of the noise level hearing protection may provide. Employers are prohibited from allowing workers to be exposed to 87 decibels of noise or higher.

Why do we need to control noise at work?

The control of noise at work is vitally important to help safeguard workers’ hearing and maintain health and safety standards within work-based settings.

Official statistics show that during 2015, an estimated 20,000 people in the UK suffered from noise-induce hearing loss (NIHL). This information was based on findings from the Labour Force Survey.
However, improvements are continuing to be made in relation to NIHL, thanks to the effort to the control of noise at work. For example, data shows that in 2015 there were 100 new NIHL claims made to the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Scheme, compared to 130 in 2014 and 120 in 2013. During the past decade, the number of workers claiming NHIL has declined.

Nonetheless, there are still too many cases related to NIHL in Britain, despite stringent control of noise at work regulations. It is therefore crucial that employers actively conform to the control of noise at work stipulations by assessing the intensity of the noise being produced in their working environment. Once an employer knows what noise levels are being created, they can take the necessary action required by the control of noise at work regulation 2005 to ensure the hearing health of employees is safeguarded and their company remains compliant with health and safety laws.