Noise regulations

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Noise at work is part of the Hearing Care Centre’s ‘Health and Safety’ division.  We provide ‘Health Surveillance’ packages for those wishing to meet the 2005 Noise at Work Regulations, amended April 2008. 

This applies not only to factory/machinery type workers but also those who work in the ‘Music and Entertainment’ business who are now under more scrutiny to meet these guidelines and to protect their employees from potential hearing damage and subsequent permanent hearing loss.  This area of work is known as ‘Industrial Audiometry’.

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Noise at work in the music and entertainment sectors

In April 2008 the existing regulations protecting workers in the music and entertainment sectors from exposure to excessive noise was replaced by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (Noise Regulations). 

For other industry sectors these Regulations have been in force since April 2006. The European Directive (2003/10/EC) on which the Regulations are based allowed the music and entertainment sectors a two-year transitional period. This recognised that music is unusual as it is noise deliberately created for enjoyment and therefore practical guidelines are necessary to help workers, employers and freelancers in the music and entertainment sectors protect their hearing and safeguard their careers.

Music and entertainment sectors are defined in the Noise Regulations as all workplaces where a) live music is played or b) recorded music is played in a restaurant, bar, public house, discotheque or nightclub, or alongside live music or a live dramatic or dance performance.

Sounds of 85dB and above can permanetly damage your hearing.