Noise safety training requirements following a noise assessment
A noise assessment will measure your noise risk levels, and anyone who has a noise exposure of 80 dB(A) or 135 dB(C) or more has to be included in a noise safety training programme.
Noise training for employees is a lot more than giving hearing protection out and telling them when to wear it and the HSE are very specific on what the noise safety training provided by employer should include.
It is worth flagging that this does not have to be done in one-hit. You could choose to do it in one session but could also break it down into separate chunks of information in smaller batches. What is important is that you record when it was done and who was included in it.
While a lot of the HSE’s statements on noise safety are given in the guidance to the regulations, the requirement for training and the content of it is in the regulation itself, (Regulation 10) meaning employers must follow it. The mandatory training elements are:
Regulation 10 - noise safety training
2(a) Nature of the risks
What noise does to hearing, why it is a problem. Explaining to them how noise damages hearing.
2(b) Organisation etc measures
What is being done to control risks by means other than hearing protection, so things like any job rotation, what physical barriers around certain machinery, choice of low-noise cutting heads, maintenance routines, etc.
2(c) Exposure limits
They need to be told about the 80 dB(A) and 85 dB(A) limits, and what they mean.
2(d) Noise risk assessment findings
What the key noise risk levels are on the site - the main bits from the noise assessment.
2(e) Hearing protection
The availability of hearing protection –types are available and the benefits of each. This must also include the safe use of them – how to fit and wear them and problems with things like hats, long hair, glasses, etc, along with where to get replacements, cleaning, where to store reusable protectors, checking them over and reporting problems.
2(f) Signs of hearing damage
How they can tell if their hearing is potentially getting damaged by noise and who to report it to.
2(g) Health surveillance
Telling them that anyone regularly exposed to levels over 85 dB(A) will be included in an audiometry programme and what it means.
2(h) How to control their exposures
For example, not removing hearing protection in high noise areas or correct use of a noise safety measures taken (e.g. always operating machines closed to enclose noise).
2(i) Audiometry results
If you have anonymous stats from previous tests these should be included.
