How do I control the risks from noise?

The purpose of the Noise Regulations 2005 is to make sure that people do not suffer damage to their hearing - so controlling noise risks and noise exposure should be where you concentrate your efforts.

Wherever there is noise at work you should be looking for alternative processes, equipment and/or working methods which would make the work quieter or mean people are exposed for shorter times. You should also be keeping up with what is good practice or the standard for noise control within your industry.

Where there are reasonably practicable things you can do to reduce risks from noise, that are reasonably practicable, they should be done. However, where noise exposures are below the lower exposure action values, risks are low and so you would only be expected to take actions that are relatively inexpensive and simple to carry out.

Where your assessment shows that your employees are likely to be exposed at or above the upper exposure action values, you must put in place a planned programme of noise control.

How do I use the information from my risk assessment ?[46]

Link URLs in this page

  1. Noise at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/index.htm
  2. Regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/regulations.htm
  3. Worried about your hearing?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/worried.htm
  4. Overview - Worried about your hearing?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/worried.htm
  5. Audio demonstrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/assets/video/index.htm
  6. Overview - Advice for employershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/advice.htm
  7. Employers' responsibilitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/employers.htm
  8. How do I assess the risks?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/risks.htm
  9. Managing noise risks checklisthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/checklist.htm
  10. Overview - How do I protect my workers?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/protect.htm
  11. How do I control the risks from noise?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/controlrisks.htm
  12. Use the information from my risk assessment?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/useinfo.htm
  13. Reduce noise?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/reducenoise.htm
  14. Choose quieter equipment and machinery?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/choosequieter.htm
  15. Hearing protectionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/hearingprotection.htm
  16. What do I need to tell my employees?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/assets/video/tell-index.htm
  17. Employee and safety representativeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/safetyrep.htm
  18. Health surveillancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/healthsurveillance.htm
  19. Advice for manufacturershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/advice-for-manufacturers.htm
  20. Noise calculatorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/calculator.htm
  21. Key messageshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/keyfacts.htm
  22. Overview - Industry good practicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/index.htm
  23. Overview - Managing noise riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/managingrisks.htm
  24. Over-protectionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/hearingoverprotect.htm
  25. Accounting for 'real-world' factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/hearingrealworld.htm
  26. Advice on issuing hearing protectionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/hearingadvice.htm
  27. Workplace designhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/workplacedesign.htm
  28. Plastic productshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/plastics.htm
  29. Overview - Wood workinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/woodworking.htm
  30. Saw millinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/sawmilling.htm
  31. Air turbulencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/airturbulence.htm
  32. Planing and mouldinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/planingmoulding.htm
  33. Overview - Concrete and cementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/concrete.htm
  34. General informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/concretegeninfo.htm
  35. Avoiding impactshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/avoidingimpacts.htm
  36. Music and entertainmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/goodpractice/music-and-entertainment.htm
  37. Overview - Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/casestudies/index.htm
  38. Full indexhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/casestudies/fullindex.htm
  39. Sound solutionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/casestudies/soundsolutions/index.htm
  40. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/furtherinfo.htm
  41. Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/publications.htm
  42. Researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/research.htm
  43. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/statistics.htm
  44. Overview - Policy statementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/policy.htm
  45. Acoustic shockhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/acoustic.htm
  46. How do I use the information from my risk assessment ?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/useinfo.htm
  47. Noise calculatorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/calculator.htm
  48. Noise: Don't lose your hearing https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg363.htm
  49. Noise at work: A brief guide to controlling the riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg362.htm
  50. Hearing loss - what's it like?https://www.hse.gov.uk/NOISE/assets/video/index.htm

Is this page useful?

Updated 2021-02-11