Noise at Work: What To Do
Exposure to loud noise sufficient to cause permanent hearing damage.
Last revised
Noise-induced hearing loss is entirely preventable, completely irreversible, and still one of the commonest occupational diseases.
Key takeaways
- Lower action level: 80 dB daily average
- Upper action level: 85 dB daily average
- Most useful single change: Wear the hearing protection provided, correctly and consistently.
- Commonest mistake: Removing protection "just for a minute" in a noisy area.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Do
- Wear the hearing protection provided, correctly and consistently
- Attend workplace hearing surveillance
- Report equipment that has become louder
- Protect hearing outside work too; damage is cumulative
Do not
- Removing protection "just for a minute" in a noisy area
- Assuming you have got used to the noise; that is damage, not adaptation
- Ignoring tinnitus after a shift
The figures behind the list
Each item above follows from these, published in the guidance named at the foot of the page.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Lower action level | 80 dB daily average |
| Upper action level | 85 dB daily average |
| Exposure limit | 87 dB |
| Rule of thumb | if you must shout to be heard at 2 metres, it is too loud |
| Damage | permanent and cumulative |
Where to go next
- Noise at Work: Separating Myth From Guidance
- Starting Out With Noise at Work
- Noise at Work — the reference entry
- Manual Handling: What Published Guidance Supports
- Returning to Work After Illness: What Published Guidance Supports
When to get help
Seek same-day medical assessment for sudden hearing loss in one or both ears — sudden sensorineural hearing loss is treatable but the window is days. See a GP for persistent tinnitus, muffled hearing after work, or difficulty following conversation, and tell occupational health.
Where this comes from
- Health and Safety Executive — noise at work
- NHS — Hearing loss
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.