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northern environmental monitoring services

...for all your safety, health and environmental needs.

Noise

Noise at Work

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 come into force on 6th April 2006 and impose a legal obligation on employers to prevent damage to the hearing of employees and visitors to their premises. Assessment of exposure to noise must be carried out by a competent person; The assessment should identify all persons likely to be exposed, and provide information to indicate where action is needed and assist in deciding what further action is appropriate.
The new regulations reduce the existing noise action levels by 5dB, to 80 and 85 dB(A) respectively, and implement a Limit Value of 87dB(A). The limit value will take into account the reduction afforded by hearing protection. In addition, health surveillance is likely to be required for all persons regularly exposed to noise in excess of 85 dB(A). Earmuffs A summary of the new regulations is presented below:-
  1. Lower exposure action values: a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 80dB (A-weighted) and a peak sound pressure of 135dB (C-weighted)
  2. Upper exposure action values: a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 85dB (A-weighted) and a peak sound pressure of 137 dB (C-weighted)
  3. Exposure limit values: a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 87dB (A-weighted) and a peak sound pressure of 140dB (C-weighted)
In addition to the Risk Assessment, requirements of the Regulations include:
  • elimination or, where elimination is not reasonably practicable, reduction of exposure to noise to as low a level as is reasonably practicable
  • a programme of measures, excluding the provision of personal hearing protectors, to be taken at the upper exposure action values to reduce exposure to noise to as low a level as is reasonably practicable
  • actions to be taken at the exposure limit values and prohibition on exceeding the exposure limit values
  • the provision of personal hearing protectors upon request at the lower exposure action values and compulsorily at the upper exposure action values
  • the designation in the workplace of Hearing Protection Zones
  • employers'; and employees' duties concerning the use of equipment, including personal hearing protectors, provided under the Regulations
  • health surveillance
    • information, instruction and training
The new Regulations require that employers ensure that risk from the exposure of employees to noise is either eliminated at source or, where this is not reasonably practicable, reduced to as low a level as is reasonably practicable. Where an employee is likely to be exposed to noise at or above an upper exposure action value, the employer shall reduce exposure to as low a level as is reasonably practicable by establishing and implementing a programme of organisational and technical measures appropriate to the activity (excluding the provision of personal hearing protectors). Such measures should include the consideration of:
  1. other working methods which reduce exposure to noise;
  2. choice of appropriate work equipment emitting the least possible noise, taking account of the work to be done;
  3. the design and layout of workplaces, work stations and rest facilities;
  4. suitable and sufficient information and training for employees, such that work equipment may be used correctly, in order to minimise their exposure to noise;
  5. reduction of noise by technical means;
  6. appropriate maintenance programmes for work equipment, the workplace and workplace systems;
  7. limitation of the duration and intensity of exposure to noise; and
  8. appropriate work schedules with adequate rest periods.

Techniques incorporated in undertaking a noise survey include the use of personal dosimetry to measure an employee's exposure to noise over a working day, spot reading of sound pressure levels from various machines/locations, and the calculation of expected noise exposure based on duration spent in particular locations or carrying out specific tasks. In addition, frequency band analyses may be incorporated in order to assess the suitability of existing hearing protection, or to make recommendations to the client.

HSE Noise Logo In addition to carrying out noise surveys and assessments, NEMS carries out noise awareness training courses, and can advise clients on equipment requirements and training for those wishing to carry out measurement and assessment of noise in the workplace.

Environmental Noise

Measurement of environmental noise is often required as part of the planning procedure, where the impact of a proposed development on the surrounding environment needs to be assessed, either during the construction or operational phases. Measurement and assessment of environmental noise impacts often requires long periods spent monitoring background noise, including measurements at nighttime.

Environmental noise assessments are typically carried out in accordance with the requirements of BS4142:1990, which describes methods to determine the noise levels outside a building from factories, industrial buildings and from sources of an industrial nature from commercial buildings. It also describes methods for determining background noise levels.

Where noise is being assessed for the affects of a proposed development, calculations of projected noise contributions together with the background noise measurements enable the development of a suitable package of control measures designed to minimise any potential impacts.



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