You can manage any remaining health risks by using a range of measures such as personal protective equipment (PPE), information, health surveillance and routine monitoring.
Job rotation can be used to share a noise exposure between several people, eg:
Note: Rotation away from one tool may mean that the worker is exposed to another noisy tool or to high background noise.
Effective job rotation is more complex if workers use more than one tool or process that involves a noise exposure.
Generally, two types of hearing protection are available - ear defenders or ‘muffs', and ear plugs - and there is plenty of choice. Different products may not offer the same level of protection - when purchasing PPE check the product information for details.
Workers need to understand the risks of noise exposure. Where workers are exposed above the lower exposure action values you should at least tell them:
Make sure you give information in a way that workers understand - you might need to make special arrangements if a worker has difficulty understanding English or is unable to read.
Working with safety representatives and employees' representatives is a useful way to communicate about health and safety. For example, discuss your risk assessment and action plan, including any proposal to average exposure over a week, selection of hearing protection, any hearing protection zones and your health surveillance programme.
Remember: Involving your employees in decisions can help improve working relationships, make your employees more receptive to new ideas and help you control exposure to noise.
