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Control of noise at work regulations 2005

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 in the United Kingdom are modeled on the EU Noise Directive 2003/10/EC. The laws went into effect in April 2006 for most sectors.

What is the The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005?

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 are a set of regulations in the United Kingdom that require employers to prevent or reduce risks to their employee’s health and safety from exposure to noise at work. The regulations require employers to carry out risk assessments to determine the level of noise exposure in the workplace, take appropriate action to control the exposure and provide training and information to their employees. The regulations set out specific exposure limits and action values, which determine the level of risk and the necessary actions to be taken. The regulations also require employers to take a ‘buy quiet’ approach, where possible, and maintain machinery and noise-control equipment. Failure to comply with the regulations can result in enforcement action, including fines and prosecution.

Where do the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 apply

Why is it important to control noise exposure in the workplace?

High levels of noise can damage your hearing for good, cause tinnitus, and cause other health problems. It can also lead to accidents and reduce productivity. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 are designed to protect employees from these risks by requiring employers to assess the risk of exposure to noise in the workplace, take action to reduce the noise levels where necessary, and provide employees with suitable PPE where the noise levels cannot be adequately reduced by other means. By controlling noise exposure in the workplace, employers can protect the health and safety of their employees and improve productivity.

What are noise limits by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005?

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 sets three key noise exposure limits for workplaces in the UK:

  1. Lower Exposure Action Values (LEAVs)
    • 80 dB (A-weighted) for daily or weekly personal noise exposure
    • 135 dB (C-weighted) for peak sound pressure
    • Action required: Employers must assess risks, provide training, and offer hearing protection if requested.
  2. Upper Exposure Action Values (UEAVs)
    • 85 dB (A-weighted) for daily or weekly personal noise exposure
    • 137 dB (C-weighted) for peak sound pressure
    • Action required: Employers must implement noise reduction measures and enforce the use of hearing protection.
  3. Exposure Limit Values (ELVs)
    • 87 dB (A-weighted) for daily or weekly personal noise exposure
    • 140 dB (C-weighted) for peak sound pressure
    • Legal maximum: Employees must not be exposed to noise above these levels without hearing protection.

Employers must take reasonable steps to reduce noise exposure and ensure compliance with these limits to protect workers’ hearing.

Who is responsible for controlling noise exposure in the workplace?

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations of 2005 says that it is the employer’s job to limit the amount of noise in the workplace. 

  • Employers must implement a health surveillance program for workers exposed to noise levels at or above the lower exposure action value (LEAV) of 80 dB, as required by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. This program involves regular assessments of employees’ hearing ability, conducted by a qualified health professional, to detect early signs of noise-induced hearing loss. Surveillance should be ongoing and proportionate to the level of exposure, ensuring that any deterioration in hearing is identified and addressed. Employers must also inform workers about the results and provide appropriate interventions if necessary.
  • Employers are responsible for measuring workplace noise exposure and comparing it to the established exposure action values (EAVs). If noise levels reach or exceed 85 dB (UEAV), immediate steps must be taken to reduce exposure, such as engineering controls, workplace modifications, or the mandatory use of hearing protection. Further noise assessments may be required to verify the effectiveness of these measures, ensuring that exposure remains within legal limits and employees’ hearing health is protected.

Where do the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 apply?

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations of 2005 cover all places of work where noise could be dangerous. This includes factories, construction sites, places where people go to have fun, and any other place of work where noise levels are high. The regulations apply to both indoor and outdoor workplaces, and to all types of noise, including impulse noise, intermittent noise, and continuous noise.

The best way to control noise at work is to use technical or organizational tools to get rid of or reduce the risks that come with noise exposure. This can be done by changing the way people work or the machines they use to make less noise, by replacing noisy machines with quieter ones, or by setting up the workplace and the way people work to keep people away from the noise. Personal hearing protection should only be used as a last resort because it only protects the person wearing it, and it doesn’t always work as well as expected. 

If an employee is found to have hearing damage, the employer must take steps to prevent further harm, such as assigning the employee to alternative work or providing continued health surveillance. Employees must cooperate with the health surveillance program and attend any required health checks, which must be arranged by the employer and paid for by them. Employers must consult with employees and their representatives before introducing health surveillance, and there should be a clear procedure in place for managing workers with work-related diseases.

How can employers control noise exposure in the workplace?

Employers can control noise exposure in the workplace by using a variety of techniques, including:

  • eliminating or minimizing risks from exposure to noise by doing the work in a different way, modifying the work, process, or machine to reduce noise emissions,
  • replacing machinery and equipment used with lower noise alternatives,
  • arranging the workplace and workflow to separate people from the noise,
  • controlling the path of the noise from the source to reduce the noise reaching people.
  • buy machinery with low-noise features designed in by the manufacturers.
  • maintaining machinery and noise-control equipment,
  • managing safety risks by providing information, instruction, and training to employees are all important factors in controlling noise exposure in the workplace.
Use of sound level meter and noise dosimeter

Workplace noise assessment

According to the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, sound level meters and noise dosimeters are suitable for measuring workplace noise. The measurements must be taken by a competent person and be representative of the noise exposure during the employee’s working day. The employer must ensure that the measurement equipment is correctly calibrated, and the results must be recorded and kept for at least two years. The measurement results must be used to assess the level of risk to employees’ hearing and determine appropriate control measures to reduce the risk.

Calculating daily and weekly personal noise exposure levels

The length of the workday and the equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level are used to figure out the daily personal noise exposure level. A combination formula is used when the exposure is made up of more than one time period with different sound levels. The personal weekly personal noise exposure level is calculated using the daily exposure levels for a nominal week of five working days. The peak sound pressure level is calculated using the maximum value of the C-weighted sound pressure and a reference value of 20 μPa.

Formulas:

Daily personal noise exposure level:

LEP,d = 10 log10 (Te/T0) + LAeq,Te

Weekly personal noise exposure level:

LEP,w = 10 log10 [Σ(LEP,d)i/5]

Peak sound pressure level:

LCpeak = 20 log10 (pCpeak/p0)

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