Protecting workers' hearing

The issue of noise at work is the subject of a new scientific report – “The likely prevalence of occupational noise-induced hearing loss across British industry” – by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE)’s Workplace Health Expert Committee (WHEC)

The WHEC report says about 20% of the working population in Great Britain could be exposed to high noise levels (higher than 85 dBA), with the most likely affected groups of workers being those employed in the armed services, shipyards, construction, and agriculture.

While new cases of occupational deafness have dropped over the past decade, HSE is urging workplaces to consider the “shout test” to manage noise at work and ways to give workers’ ears a break.

HSE’s noise specialist Chris Steel said: “If you are shouting at work and can’t be heard from two metres away, the chances are there’s a noise issue. Try it out for yourself and see if you can be heard.”

More information about HSE's guidance in relation to noise at work is available here.