Our Workplace Noise Assessment and Monitoring service will measure the personal exposure of your workers. We will also compare the results of the monitoring to the limits given in the Noise Regulations. If needed, we will then also suggest real-world solutions to reduce any problems in your workplace.
Hearing loss caused by workplace noise is a major occupational disease. For instance, the HSE say that for the period 2018 – 2021 there were about 14,000 workers with workplace-related hearing problems. There were also 1125 new cases of occupational deafness from 2010 to 2019.
As a result, it is very important to know what the exposure levels are in your workplace. Monitoring will tell you what the effect of the exposure is on your workers and also what you can do about it.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 applies to all workplaces. This means that all company owners must risk assess their workplace and have systems in place to reduce exposure where needed.
Your Workplace Noise Survey should be carried out by a competent person.
When planning a workplace noise assessment it is important that you choose the right company. The first thing that you should look for is a company with competent staff. Synergy demonstrates this through consultants who have passed their BOHS W503 exams. In addition several of our consultants are associate members of the institute of acoustics. This is the UK’s Professional body for those working in Acoustics, Sound and Vibration.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states that companies must use a competent person to look after their health and safety. One of the main requirements is for employers to have suitable and sufficient risks assessments of their workplace activities which may affect employees and other people. By using Synergy you can be assured that your risk assessments are suitable and sufficient.
The Regulations require employers to prevent or reduce risks to health and safety from exposure at work.
They also require employers to ensure that the hearing of employees is protected from excessive exposure in their place of work, which could cause hearing loss.
The Regulations detail Exposure Action Values and Exposure Limit Values and the risk assessment should consider employees likely to be exposed to noise at or above a Lower Exposure Action Value.
The risk assessment should be carried out by a competent person. At Synergy, our consultants all have a certificate of competency to prove this.
This is vital because a workplace noise assessment is not just about taking measurements. It is also about observing the working practices to see how exposure takes place. Also, it’s about how to interpret these results as this is not just a case of comparing the daily personal exposures against the Exposure Action and Limit Values specified in the Regulations.
A survey provided by Synergy will also advise on how to reduce exposure. Firstly, we will offer practical, cost effective control measures. We will also advise on suitable hearing protection which offers the correct amount of attenuation.
In addition, guidance from the British Occupational Hygiene Society (the BOHS) states that reports should be reviewed by a Licentiate who holds the BOHS Certificate of Operational Competence.
Helen Woollaston is Synergy’s Occupational Hygiene Director. She holds the BOHS Certificate of Occupational Hygiene and is a Licentiate of the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene. She is also a Member of the Institute of Acoustics. Helen is passionate about protecting workers from work-related tasks that could have life changing effects or could cause serious, and even fatal, illnesses. She heads a team of highly qualified consultants, competent in monitoring exposure by workplace noise assessments. Helen can assist you with a bespoke strategy for your site. Also she will ensure that all work is in line with relevant guidance and issue clear and concise reports.
As well as, workplace noise assessments, we can also provide a wide range of other occupational hygiene services and air monitoring. These include: