Noise at Work: The Practical To-Do List
Noise at Work: what is worth doing, what is worth avoiding, and when to stop and see a doctor.
Exposure to loud noise sufficient to cause permanent hearing damage. 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 speak to a doctor" 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 numbers behind the list
Those two lists follow from the published figures here.
| 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 |
If you change one thing
Wear the hearing protection provided, correctly and consistently. That one first, and the others when you get to them.
Where to go next
- Noise at Work, Explained Without the Jargon
- Noise at Work: Separating Myth From Guidance
- Noise at Work — the reference entry
- Manual Handling: What Published Guidance Supports
- Returning to Work After Illness: What Published Guidance Supports
When to speak to a doctor
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.
Spotted something wrong? Report an error on this page. We correct on the page and say what changed.
