Risk assessment

Regulation 5 requires an employer who carries out work which is liable to expose any employees to noise at or above a lower exposure action value (EAV) to make a “suitable and sufficient” assessment of the risk from that noise to the health and safety of those employees. The risk assessment has to consider:

• the level, type and duration of exposure, including any exposure to peak sound pressure;

• the effects of exposure to noise on employees or groups of employees whose health is at particular risk from such exposure;

• so far as is practicable, any effects on the health and safety of employees resulting from the interaction between noise and the use of ototoxic chemicals (which can damage the cochlea in the inner ear leading to hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo), or between noise and vibration;

• any indirect effects on the health and safety of employees resulting from the interaction between noise and audible warning signals or other sounds that need to be audible in order to reduce risk at work;

• any information provided by the manufacturers of work equipment;

• the availability of alternative equipment designed to reduce the emission of noise;

• any extension of exposure to noise at the workplace beyond normal working hours, including exposure in rest facilities supervised by the employer;

• appropriate information obtained following health surveillance, including, where possible, published information; and

• the availability of personal hearing protectors with adequate noise reduction characteristics.

Regulation 5 includes a specific clause, stating that “the employees concerned or their representatives shall be consulted on the assessment of risk under the provisions of this regulation”.