Controlling noise at work

When carrying out noise investigations in the workplace, the equipment you use could be the difference between compliance and non-compliance with L108 Controlling Noise at Work (UK) regulations as determined by the Health and Safety Executive.

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations of 2005 require you to eliminate and reduce risks to health and safety arising from noise in the workplace. This can be achieved by ensuring that legal noise limits are not exceeded, using the correct equipment to control noise risks, providing staff with necessary training, and monitoring hearing ability.

Depending on the level of risk, you should either take steps to reduce noise exposure or provide staff with personal hearing protection.

It’s therefore critical that the technology you use has been recently calibrated and maintained for peace of mind that you’re collecting the most accurate data possible.

How do you know if you have a noise problem in a workplace?

If any of the following apply, it’s worth carrying out noise monitoring to see if you need to undertake noise control measures:

• Some noises originate from impacts or explosive sources
• The noise is intrusive for most of the working day – for reference, as noisy as a crowded restaurant, a busy road or a vacuum cleaner running
• Day-to-day tasks are noisy
• Staff use machinery and/or power tools for more than half an hour each day
• Staff need to raise their voices to be heard 2m away for more than half an hour each day.

New rental product: Svantek SV 971A Class 1 Sound Level Meter & Sound Exposure Meter

• Perfect for capturing workplace or environmental noise data, calculating building acoustics, or recording noise for the selection of hearing protection as per ISO 4869-2. 
• Meets British standards 
• Has a measurement range of 27 to 140 dB
• Comes with user-friendly mobile apps for measuring sound, RT60, and STIPA.