Noise Assessment
Noise Assessment Services
Leeds | Bradford | York | Harrogate | Wakefield | Hull | Yorkshire | Humberside
Do you need a Noise Assessment or Noise Survey?
Hearing damage caused by exposure to noise at work is permanent and incurable. Research estimates that over 2 million people are exposed to noise levels that may be harmful. There are many new cases of people receiving compensation for hearing damage each year, through both civil claims and the Government disability benefit scheme, with considerable costs to industry, society and, most importantly, the people who suffer the disability.
Noise Assessments
Our Health and Safety Consultants can carry out Noise Assessments for any workplace environment. Our noise assessments and noise surveys are carried out by competent persons to the best practice requirements of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
If you are a company looking for a noise assessment and are based in Leeds, York, Harrogate, Hull and Yorkshire or further afield, our trained noise assessment consultants can undertake a noise survey or assessment to measure the levels of noise your employees are exposed to.
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Noise Assessment
Workplace Noise Assessments
How will the noise assessment be carried out?
A Noise consultant will attend site and introduce himself and conduct an initial meeting about your noise issues. He will ask a number of questions regarding you current noise control measures and noise management in order to understand your current procedures.
The noise assessment will be carried out by a qualified competent person, as required by law under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and will be conducted using a calibrated Cirrus Research Type 1 Sound Level Meter. (This is a more accurate meter than used by many noise assessors who use a Type 2 Meter).
The survey will fully comply with the requirements of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, and will provide recommendations on meeting your obligations under them. The noise assessment will measure the noise levels in each of the areas assessed. The report will also indicate daily exposure of each person working in that area. Included in the report will be hearing protection calculations for the locations assessed, with a list of suitable hearing protection for the noise levels measured. Additionally, if you have plans available for each site, a noise map can be produced to indicate noise levels within the area and any Hearing Protection zones that may need to be established.
Our Noise Assessment Experience
Our noise assessors and consultants have experience of assessing noise in a wide range of environments and sectors. We have carried out noise assessments in woodworking companies, engineering workshops, construction sites, pet food manufacturers, furniture makers, entertainment venues as well as countless other types of businesses and premises.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations require employers to carry out an assessment of the risk to health and safety created by noise in the workplace.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require all employers to take specific action at certain action values. These relate to:
- the levels of exposure to noise of employees averaged over a working day or week; and
- the maximum noise (peak sound pressure) to which employees are exposed in a working day.
The values are:
- lower exposure action values:
- daily or weekly exposure of 80 dB(A);
- peak sound pressure of 135 dB(C);
- upper exposure action values:
- daily or weekly exposure of 85 dB(A);
- peak sound pressure of 137 dB(C).
There are also levels of noise exposure which must not be exceeded:
- exposure limit values:
- daily or weekly exposure of 87 dB(A);
- peak sound pressure of 140 dB(C).
These exposure limit values take account of any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection.
SMS can carry out noise assessments and measurements and suggest controls that can help an employer reduce the risk of noise in the workplace. Our competent and fully trained noise assessors and consultants will provide you with a noise assessment of you premises and assist you in implementing a noise control strategy. Remember, just measuring the noise does not fulfil your duties as an employer; you need to control it as well.
When choosing a consultant, ensure that they are qualified as noise practitioners and use high quality equipment. Ask searching questions to ensure that you are getting the best possible advice:
- What qualifications do you have?
- What type of noise meter are you using?
- What will the noise assessment report detail?
- Is your sound level meter calibrated?
- Will your noise assessment consider chemicals that can affect hearing?
- Will your noise assessment consider the affects of vibration on hearing loss?