Your Work and Your Health
Noise - the employees' perspective
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is noise?
- What is the problem with noise exposure?
- What are the signs that my hearing is becoming damaged?
- Can noise have other effects on my health?
- How will I know if there is a noise problem in work?
- I work for an SME so what can they really do about noise?
- Where can I get help and advice?
What is noise?
In work situations noise is defined as unwanted sound - an undesirable
by-product of our normal day-to-day activities, for example aircraft,
traffic, music, and machinery noise. There is a risk that your hearing
may be damaged when you are exposed to noise, which may result in temporary
and/or permanent deafness.
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What is the problem with noise exposure?
Exposure to noise can cause hearing loss. Temporary deafness is often experienced after leaving a noisy place - you may notice that everything sounds very quiet for a while. Although hearing recovers within a few hours, this should not be ignored. It is a sign that continued exposure to noise at this level could cause permanent damage to your hearing.
Permanent hearing damage can occur immediately if you are exposed to
sudden, extremely loud, explosive noises, for example from guns or cartridge-operated
tools. However, it is more common for permanent hearing loss to occur
gradually as a result of you being regularly exposed to noise over a long
period of time. The risk of damage to your hearing is greater the louder
the noise is and the more often you are exposed to it.
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What are the signs that my hearing is becoming damaged?
You may only realise how deaf you have become when the damage caused
by exposure to noise over the years combines with normal hearing loss
due to ageing. Initially you may find that your family complains about
the television being too loud, you may find it hard to keep up with conversations
in a group, or you may have trouble using the telephone. Eventually everything
will sound muffled and you will find it difficult to catch sounds like
't', 'd', and 's'. This can be very confusing because many words will
sound similar. Unfortunately, by the time you are aware of such loss,
the damage to your hearing is considerable and it can't be cured.
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Can noise have other effects on my health?
Hearing loss is not the only problem that occurs when you are exposed
to loud noises. Tinnitus (ringing, whistling, buzzing or humming in the
ears) may occur. This distressing condition can also lead to disturbed
sleep. Noise can also lead to stress, and can be a safety hazard at work
interfering with communication and making warnings harder to hear.
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How will I know if there is a noise problem in work?
A simple guide for deciding whether the noise you are exposed at work may be a problem is if:
- you have to shout to be clearly heard by someone 2 m away;
- your ears are still ringing after leaving work;
- you use equipment that causes loud explosive noises such as guns or cartridge-operated tools.
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I work for an SME so what can they really do about noise?
Regardless of the size of the company you work for, your employer has
a legal duty under the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 to reduce the risk
of damage to your hearing from excessive noise at work. It is important
that you and your employer work together - it is your hearing that will
be damaged if the danger is not controlled.
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Where can I get help and advice?
You need to tell your employer or safety/employee representative if you think there is a noise problem in your workplace. If your noise exposure is sufficiently high, your employer will be required to assess and control the risk to your hearing. Your employer will also have to provide information, instruction and training on what has been done to manage any risks to your hearing.
If you are concerned about any aspects of your hearing because of exposure to noise at work, you should talk to your occupational health provider or your own GP.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced a series of free leaflets on noise. If you have access to the internet, these can be downloaded from /www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/noisindx.htm. You can also obtain information by calling the HSE Infoline on 08701 545 500.
This site is supported by the Healthy Work Matters Group