LATUS can complete workplace noise survey and noise monitoring within your workplace to help you to understand your noise risks so you can manage them effectively, improving worker health protection.
Noise survey assessments
Information from the occupational noise assessment will tell you if you have a noise problem, where it is and whether you need to take action to comply with the Control of Noise at Work Regulations.
The measured noise levels will inform your noise risk assessment and help to identify which group of employees are at risk of noise-induced hearing loss.
- What does noise survey testing include?
- When should survey tests be carried out?
- What does a noise survey entail?
- How long do noise assessments take?
- How often should noise surveys be done?
- NOISEBREAKER® – Personal Moulded Earplugs
Workplace air monitoring
Our qualified and experienced staff use a combination of static noise testing and personal dose monitoring to get a factual record of your noise exposure. Interviewing at risk employees whilst undertaking the noise monitoring will help us to estimate the current personal daily noise exposure of employees and identify the appropriate ear protection required for the level of exposure.
LATUS will provide you with a noise risk assessment report and make sure that you understand what actions you need to take as a result of the information provided. These may include changing workplace design (low noise machines, enclosures, barriers, or dampening), planning organisational controls (job design, job rotation, changing activities), or implementing Hearing Protection Zones and a program of health surveillance.
When should survey tests be carried out?
If your employees are exposed to the following levels – hearing tests or audiometry required.
- Exposure over 80dB(a) where the individual is known to be at risk e.g. they already suffer from hearing loss or are particularly sensitive to damage,
- Exposure over 85dB(a)
What does a noise survey entail?
- A full occupational and exposure history
- Past medical history
- Hearing protection insertion check
- Otoscopic examination
- Audiometry
- Comparison of current results with previous audiometry results
- Interpretation and explanation of the results to the individual
- Provision of HSE information leaflet ‘protect your hearing’
- Completion of ‘surveillance report form’ for Personnel Records.
How long do noise assessments take?
- A workplace noise assessment in accordance with the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 1995 takes 30 minutes.
- Where hearing problems or process barriers (e.g. communication difficulties) are identified, it may take longer to complete the noise assessment.
- An additional 15 minutes is required if ear moulds need to be taken for ‘Noisebreaker®’ ear plugs.
How often should noise surveys be done?
- At pre-employment for baseline audiometry and previous exposure history is taken.
- Occupational noise assessments are repeated annually for 2 years.
- Where no abnormalities are detected the noise assessments are reduced to 3 yearly.
NOISEBREAKER® – Personal Moulded Earplugs
LATUS can take moulds from your employees’ ears so you can provide them with Emtec NOISEBREAKER®
The Emtec NOISEBREAKER® is a personally moulded and vented earplug. It is a silicone rubber moulding which is moulded to each individual concha bowl and ear canal, a custom made, soft, medical-grade silicone rubber ear defender, which is extremely comfortable and therefore ideal for day-long wear.
Noisebreakers are available in various colours. They can also be made metal detectable and attached together on a cord if required.
Noisebreakers can also be used as a housing for separate radio earpieces. They are specially adapted to be not only hearing protection, but also to act as a housing for NAP Incore earphone microphones: these are radio earpieces that have both a speaker and microphone built in. They provide excellent two way communications in high noise environments, without the need for a separate boom microphone – the microphone is inside the earpiece!
The NOISEBREAKER® provides a very comfortable and stable radio earpiece, it reduces the ambient noise, and in conjunction with the Incore earmic provides clear 2-way comms in high noise.
The NOISEBREAKER® can also be fitted with a very comfortable and stable mp3 earpiece. It reduces the ambient noise, and in conjunction with the Sennheiser earphones provides a great sound quality.
Download our Free Guide
Guide to Occupational Hygiene
Protecting employees through proactive, nationwide health surveillance that prevents risks and promotes workplace wellbeing.
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