Noise, Hearing Loss, the Regulations & Sound Advice Liz Brueck · Noise, Hearing Loss, the Regulations & Sound Advice Liz Brueck. An Agency of the Health and Safety Executive Sounds

www.hsl.gov.ukAn Agency of the Health and Safety Executive

www.hsl.gov.ukAn Agency of the Health and Safety Executive

Noise, Hearing Loss, the Regulations & Sound Advice

Liz Brueck

An Agency of the Health and Safety Executive

Sounds in Decibels

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

01 Thresholdof hearing

Thresholdof pain

Challenger

SPL(dB)

Fireworks may be 100,000,000,000,000 times higher than the quietest sounds we hear.

102

104

106

108

1010

1012

1014

1016

1018


Lp and Leq


Leq and LEP,d

Noise Exposure Level [Noise Dose] takes account of both the sound pressure level and its duration.

LEP,d is the equivalent eight hour steady level corresponding to the actual exposure.

An LEP,d of 80 dB is equivalent to:

LAeq4hrs of 83 dB; or

LAeq2hrs of 86 dB; or

LAeq1hr of 89 dB; or

LAeq30min of 92 dB


The EarExternal

Ear

Auditory OssiclesHammerPinna

Cochlea

Anvil Stirrup

EarDrum

EarCanal

MiddleEar

InternalEar


Healthy Ear

0

4

8

12

16

20

1 10 100 1000

Frequency

Leve

l


Damaged Ear

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1 10 100 1000

Frequency

Leve

l


The broader picture

Business

SocialArt


Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005• Pan-European;

– Physical Agents (Noise) Directive,– Ensure that workers' hearing is protected

from excessive noise at their place of work,– They do not apply to public.

• Music and Entertainment – 6th April 08;– Two years to develop guidance,– Working group – Regulators and social

partners,– Sound-Advice http://soundadvice.info


Regulation daily exposure action and limit values

Noise at Work Regs.

1989

Control of Noise at Work Regs.

2005

Action

Lower action value

85 dB(A) 80 dB(A) Risk assessmentMake Ear Protection availableMaintenance programme Training

Upper action value

90 dB(A) 85 dB(A) Noise reduction at sourceEar Protection ZoneEar Protection must be usedHealth surveillance

Limit value

- 87 dB(A) Reduce to belowAllowed to take hearing protection into account


Typical noise exposure

Job RangeLEP,d dB(A)

AverageLEP,d dB(A)

Bar staff 89 – 99 92

Floor staff 90 – 100 93

DJ 93 – 99 96

Security - 96

• Clubs.

• Musicians.


Risk Assessment• Assessment of risks to health and safety

arising from the noise• Purpose: to identify what needs to be

done to reduce risks (Action Plan)• Should contain assessment of exposure


Risk Assessment

• Where.• Who.• Estimate of exposure.

“good enough to decide whether the exposure is likely to be greater than the action values or approaching the limit

values”• What is needed to comply.• Who needs health surveillance.


Estimating exposures• Information from guidance on typical

exposures• Information from similar venues• Listening checks• Noise measurements


Listening Checks• Normal conversation unimpaired no risk• 85dBA - Shout to be heard at 2m • 90dBA - Shout to be heard at 1m


Measurement equipment• Noise measurements only required if

necessaryIf you want precision go for:• Sound level meter or dosemeter with a

sound calibrator both meeting EN or IEC standards

• Verify performance every two years


Personal dosemeters• Microphone is worn on the body

– fix microphone to end of shoulder

• Ideal for highly mobile employees (floor staff, security staff)

• Dosemeters indicate total noise dose received during measurement period

• Logging dosemeters record how the level varies with time

• Downside is the measurement is unsupervised


Fixed positions


Fixed positions• Useful where employees work in one or more

fixed work areas (DJ, bar staff)• Use sound level meter or noise dosemeter• Place microphone in typical employee ear

position• Measure LAeq over representative period, or

make measurements at intervals over period• Useful to make comparative measurements in

customer areas such as dance floor• Useful for ongoing monitoring of noise levels

at specified reference position


Daily exposure calculation

www.hse.gov.uk/noise/calculator.htm

Exposure Calculator

Noise Level (LAeq dB)

Exposure duration (hours)

Exposure points (job/task)

Exposure points per hour

Job / task 1 95 2.3 288 125Job / task 2 99 2.5 785 314Job / task 3 74 0.5 0 1Job / task 4Job / task 5Job / task 6Job / task 7Job / task 8

Total duration 5.3

Daily noise exposure (LEP,d) 95 dB 1073 points


Weekly exposure• Example: a two day

working week with two noisy days and two quieter days

• Only advantageous under certain conditions

• Use only where patterns of work are predictable

80

82

84

86

88

90

92

94

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7

Dai

ly /w

eekl

y no

ise

expo

sure

(dB

)


Good design• Physical separation.

Both require absorption.

• Sound equipment.

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Good management• Why is it loud?• Regulators.• Maintenance.• Job rotation / weekly

averaging.• Responsibility,

communication and monitoring.


• Have a contract with performer and agent confirming responsibilities under the Noise Regulations

• Encourage performers to use the in-house PA system

• Have quiet area for performers to use between sets

Free lancers


Live Rock and Pop eventsPlan controls with a pre-event risk assessment• On stage musicians need to hear themselves; aim

for clarity not volume• Consider layout of performers• Use IEMs or monitor headphones with limiters• Make noisy areas hearing protection zones and

control access • Locate film and lighting crews, security, first

aiders, food outlets,rest areas somewhere quiet• Ensure all on-site employers are involved and

aware of risks, responsibilities and controls


Classical performances• Have a mixed loud and quiet repertoire• Consider acoustics of space, absorption and

projection• Keep space between performers (2m2)• Put brass and woodwind on risers• Use greater dynamics for effect rather than

lots of fortissimo• Make conductors aware of house policy on

noise control• Hearing protectors are a last resort but if used

players will need time to get use to them


Hearing protectionBefore ear protection is even considered, reduce the noise

preferably at source.• Attitudes are changing.• Suitability:

– correct amount of protection,– comfortable,– the need to hear.

• Specialist ear protectors.


Hearing protectionAs a guide

Noise level Protector SNR

85 - 90 20 or less

90 - 95 20 - 30

95 to 100 25 - 35

100 - 105 30 or more


Information, instruction and training• Employees need to know;

– The risks.– The control measures.– Hearing protection;

• Where to get it,• How to use and look after it,• The importance of wearing it.

– How to use and look after equipment.– The purpose of health surveillance.


Health surveillance

• When?– Dose likely to regularly exceed action value.

• What?– Audiometry plus reporting of other symptoms.

• Purpose?– Warn that employees might be suffering early signs

of injury.– Provide an opportunity to do something to stop the

injury getting worse.• Requires close consultation with employees

and their representatives.


Health surveillance records• Record of a person’s work assignments and

noise exposures, health surveillance dates.• This information is not confidential and must

be kept by the employer for as long as individual is under health surveillance

• Records should be kept up-to-date• Should include grouped anonymised data• Inspectors from enforcing authorities entitled

to see health surveillance records


Further information• http://soundadvice.info• Sound Advice – Control of noise at work

in music and entertainment HSE publication HSG260

• www.hse.gov.uk• For information on the regulations

Controlling noise at work HSE publication L108

Documents

Noise, Hearing Loss, the Regulations & Sound Advice Liz Brueck · Noise, Hearing Loss, the Regulations & Sound Advice Liz Brueck. An Agency of the Health and Safety Executive Sounds