Personal noise exposure assessment tips for employers in the UK

Being exposed to noise at work puts people at risk of developing hearing damage and other hearing-related problems. The damage occupational hearing loss creates can be permanent and disabling. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations (2005), commonly shortened to the Noise Regulations, are designed to eliminate the risk of occupational hearing damage through exposure to noise at work.
An essential component of the Noise Regulations is to carry out personal noise exposure measurement and assessment regularly and accurately.

To help employers conduct a personal noise exposure assessment correctly and accurately, take a look at the following personal noise exposure assessment tips.

Use professional and high-quality noise level meters

Measuring personal noise exposure efficiently requires the use of high quality noise level meters that are designed to conform with Noise Regulations.

Professional noise measuring instruments, which comprise of a highly precise microphone, should be used within a working environment. When used correctly, professional and industry-compliant sound level meters help employers identify areas at work, where noise levels are a problem.

Quality sound level meters are an ideal tool in monitoring personal noise exposure and measuring noise at work as part of an employee’s noise assessment responsibilities.

Use noise doseBadges

DoseBadges can be extremely effective in personal noise exposure assessment. A doesBadge is a wireless personal noise dosimeter. This innovative instrument is designed to measure and assess the personal noise exposure of employees working in various industries and throughout all locations.
Being free of cables, small, light and extremely portable, the doseBadge provides accurate personal noise exposure measurement over a period of time. These wireless noise measuring instruments are particularly effective in workplaces where the personal noise exposure levels of employees fluctuates throughout the day and varies significantly from place to place.

Take action to reduce health and safety risks through personal noise exposure

If, after carrying out accurate personal noise exposure assessments, employees are found to be at risk through being exposed to levels of noise deemed as dangerous, employers must take action to reduce the risks.

Such action includes ensuring legal noise exposure limits are not exceeded. It also includes producing workers with hearing protection if their personal noise exposure is found to be high and puts them at risk.

Further action includes carrying out health and safety surveillance, replacing noise machinery with quieter alternatives or putting noise dampers on equipment to ‘dampen’ the noise. Employers should also be provided with information, instruction and training related to personal noise exposure at work and what to do to reduce the risks.

In Britain, more than two million people are believed to be exposed to dangerously high levels of noise at work on a regular basis. Conducting personal noise exposure measurement regularly and following up the findings of the personal noise exposure assessments with the correct action, will prevent employees from having their hearing damaged through noise exposure at work.

Why it is important employers conduct regular equivalent sound level assessment

Noise levels fluctuate over periods of time. Equivalent Continuous Sound Level (Leq) is the phrase used to describe sound levels that fluctuate over time. Leq results in a single decibel value, which takes into account the total levels of noise produced over a period of time.

As noise levels vary over time equivalent sound level measurement is important to ensure we have an accurate assessment of noise levels being produced over a given period. For example, during the middle of the night, noise levels are typically much lower than during the day. Though noise level variations are not just confined to night and day. Work places typically experience noise level fluctuations throughout the working day. For example, with deliveries taking place and various machinery be used intermittently, a factory or building site will comprise of different noise emissions throughout the day or week.

Given the variable nature of noise, particularly within a working environment, it is important that equivalent sound level assessment is carried out.

Continuous noise level meters play a vital role in equivalent sound level measurement. These highly-precise continuous noise level meters follow all fluctuations of noise. The noise data collected through the equivalent sound level assessment is stored in the memory of these accurate noise measuring devices. When all the necessary sound level measurement has been carried out, the continuous sound meter calculates an ‘average energy’ or an Leq value.

A continuous noise level meter converts the dB values to sound pressure levels. This advanced device then adds up all the sound pressure levels and divides them by the number of noise samples. The continuous noise level meter then converts this equivalent level back to decibels.

The Noise at Work Regulations 2005 are designed to help protect employees’ hearing by enforcing employers to take the necessary steps and precautions to ensure workers are not exposed to potentially damaging levels of noise.

The Noise at Work Regulations set noise exposure action values and exposure limit values. The lower noise exposure action values are 80dB(A) of daily or weekly personal noise exposure, with a peak sound pressure of 135 db(C). The upper exposure action values are 85dB(A) of daily or weekly personal noise exposure, with a peak sound pressure of 137dB(C).

Noise exposure limits are set at 87 dB(A) of daily or weekly noise exposure, with a peak sound pressure of 140 dB(C).

It is permitted that the use of weekly personal noise exposure value may be used in work-based situations where noise varies significantly throughout the day.

The noise we are exposed to varies significantly throughout each day and night. For companies operating in noisy environments, it is important equivalent sound level measurement is regularly carried out so employers have an accurate assessment of noise fluctuations throughout the day. Only with regular and accurate equivalent sound level measurement can employees’ hearing be sufficiently safeguarded from work inducing hearing loss.