A new legal case and HSE campaign demonstrate the importance of preventing hearing damage in the workplace.
It was recently reported that thousands of British military personnel have begun legal action against providers of potentially faulty earplugs after they were left with life-changing hearing damage.
The launch of the legal case coincides with the publication of results from the UK Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) most recent inspection campaign on workplace hearing protection.
The HSE found that one in four workplaces have noise levels requiring mandatory hearing protection, yet there are serious gaps in implementation. 80% of employees had not received training on the use of hearing protection and – perhaps unsurprisingly, therefore – three quarters lacked essential knowledge on the topic.
What is a noisy workplace?
There are a number of indicators that a workplace has a noise issue:
- There is intrusive noise for most of the working day. Intrusive noise is similar to a busy street, vacuum cleaner, or busy restaurant.
- Employees have to raise their voices to have a normal conversation when they’re only 2 metres apart.
- Noisy power tools or machinery are used for more than half an hour a day.
- Work involves hammering, drop forging, pneumatic impact tools, or explosions.
Some industries are particularly likely to involve noisy tasks, such as construction and demolition, road repair, engineering, manufacturing, and woodworking.
Employers are required to make reliable estimates of their workers’ exposure to noise, so that they can address the risks and stay below legal limits. Noise levels can be estimated using published information, such as HSE industry-specific guidance, data from similar workplaces, or from suppliers of machinery.
However, for peace of mind, the best option is a Workplace Noise Survey conducted by a qualified occupational hygienist. This provides information specific to your workplace and employees. A Cura Terrae occupational hygienist will also give expert advice on controlling the noise, the correct hearing protection, and how to use it.
Provision of ear protection isn’t enough
In their campaign, the HSE state that investment in ear protection without appropriate management is “wasted money” and that “hearing protection demands active management rather than passive provision”.
Old, damaged, incorrectly worn, or simply incorrect ear protection can put workers at risk of irreversible hearing damage. Workers may believe they are being protected when actually they are not.
During their inspection campaign, HSE teams met a 43-year-old worker using moulded earplugs he’d been given at 18, and a factory manager that walked 100 metres across the factory and back to fetch his earplugs before inserting them.
As a result, the HSE are promoting their CUFF framework:
- Condition: Regular inspection ensures hearing protection remains physically capable of doing its job.
- Use: Protection must be worn at the right time and be easily and conveniently accessed.
- Fit the ear: Correct wearing technique maximises the protection potential of well-chosen equipment.
- Fit for purpose: Protection should be appropriate to the level of noise. Over-protection can create its own risks, such as an inability to hear warning alarms.
Get in touch
Hearing damage can be life changing. One of the British veterans bringing the case above has said that his hearing loss has had a big impact on family life, as he’s unable to hear when his children or wife are calling him.
To help safeguard your workforce, get in touch with our team of highly skilled and deeply knowledgeable occupational hygienists.
