HSC offer noise control help for textiles and footwear industries

HSC press release C003:05 - 31 January 2005

The Health and Safety Commission’s (HSC) Textiles Industry Advisory Committee (TEXIAC) is holding an open meeting in Leicester to offer practical advice on controlling noise in the textiles and footwear industries.

Attendees will have the chance to learn about practical ways of reducing noise from machines and how to manage a hearing protection scheme. There is also the opportunity to share best practice with fellow industry members and seek advice from Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) noise experts who will be in attendance.

The meeting takes place at Leicester Tigers Welford Road Ground, Welford Road, Leicester LE2 7TR on Wednesday 16 March at 10.30am.

Notes to editors

1. The HSC oversees the work of HSE which in association with local authorities enforces health and safety at work standards in Great Britain http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hsc/index.htm.

2. TEXIAC is a tripartite committee, made up of representatives of the CBI, TUC and HSE. Its primary aim is to reduce injuries and ill-health caused by work in the textile, footwear and clothing industries. It also promotes acceptable standards of working conditions and welfare in conformity with legal requirements.

3. In support of HSC’s ‘Strategy for workplace health and safety in Great Britain to 2010 and beyond’ http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/strategy.htm, the TEXIAC open meeting is seeking to influence small companies to proactively manage health risks. HSE’s goal is to ensure that risk is properly appreciated, understood and managed. This meeting provides the opportunity for inclusive two-way communications with our partners and stakeholders to help get our message on the case for sensible health and safety controls across.

4. According to the most recent HSE Self-reported Work-related Illness survey in 2003/04, an estimated 81,000 people in Great Britain believed they were suffering from a hearing problem that was caused or made worse by their current or past work.

5. Further information on noise in the workplace including a noise calculator which can help in working out your average daily exposure to noise can be found on HSE’s website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/noise/index.htm

Press enquiries

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