Exposure to noise at work can cause irreversible hearing damage. It is one of the commonest health problems and can be difficult to detect as the effects build up gradually over time.
Throughout all industry, industrial hearing loss remains the occupational disease with the highest number of civil claims accounting for about 75% of all occupational disease claims.
Multi-language simulation of noise induced hearing loss
The Textiles Sector Group has launched an audio clip showing the effect of exposure to noise over a working life. It is available in English, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi and Bengali. It is intended to incorporate the audio recording in a new training package aimed at the Textiles industry.
The Textiles Industry Advisory Committee has set up a working group to look at reducing noise at source on machines that are currently below the second action level in the Noise at Work Regulations but which will be above it when the Physical Agents (Noise) Directive is implemented in 2006. Information will be released when this work is complete.
Work will be done to secure the commitment of employers and employees to improve the wearing of hearing protection amongst employees exposed to levels of noise above the second action level. Previous work has showed that where the Noise at Work Regulations applied, around 80% of the sites visited were not achieving compliance or near compliance with legal requirements
It is evident that a large part of the industry is not complying with current requirements, and unless there is a significant improvement, will be failing to comply to an even greater extent when the Physical Agents (Noise) Directive is implemented in 2006. The new legislation will effectively halve the permitted exposure.