Product category:
Building Industry Health and Safety
News Release from: Nationwide Healthcare Connections | Subject: European Physical Agents (Noise) Directive
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 14 September 2005
Healthy hearing
European Physical Agents (Noise) Directive, due to come into force by February 2006, means employers have a legal duty to protect the hearing of their employees.
Exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing damage Long term effects can involve loss of hearing and a permanent sensation of noises or ringing in the ears, known as "tinnitus"
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 14 Sep 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Keeping employees safe from drugs and alcohol
Misuse of substances can have a significant impact on individuals and organisations and is of growing concern in the UK.
HCC help with health surveillance
HCC offering simple solutions to meet the essential legal requirements put upon organisations.
Hearing loss caused by exposure to noise at work continues to be a significant occupational disease.
Recent research shows that 170,000 people in the UK suffer deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work.
In accordance with the European Physical Agents (Noise) Directive, due to come into force by February 2006, employers have a legal duty to protect the hearing of their employees, reduce the risk of damage to their hearing and take specific action where the noise exposure of their employees is likely to be at or above any of the levels where action is required.
Not only is it the employers duty to assess noise levels but they are duty bound to offer all workers exposed to noise audiometric assessments on a regular basis.
The process for checking hearing involves playing a range of tones at different frequencies and levels through a set of headphones.
When the employee hears a tone they acknowledge this by pressing a button.
This determines the hearing threshold for each level and frequency.
If the measured hearing level is outside the normal range then the contribution to this loss due to noise exposure at work has to be considered.
In addition to this a questionnaire will be completed by the employee to record their level of exposure to noise in previous and current working environments.
A wise precaution would be to introduce this programme to all new employees to help avoid liability for hearing damage caused by the environment in previous jobs.
HCC will work with you to design and introduce your own hearing assessment programme which will monitor and assess your workers exposed to noise on an annual basis.
HCC will maintain the results and provide comparisons year on year to ensure an early diagnosis of any potential problems.
Call HCC now on 01494 773 007 to ensure your staff have healthy hearing and to ensure you comply with this new directive.
• Nationwide Healthcare Connections: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Buildingtalk email newsletter
• Buildingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
