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Health and Safety

We're Here to Make Our Industry Safer.

There is no doubt that construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the UK. Every year dozens of people die on site, several thousands get injured or develop work-related health problems. This is why improving health and safety on construction sites plays a key role in UCATT's daily work and ongoing campaigns. We want employers to comply with the existing health and safety regulations, and we want workers to know their rights. Every worker also needs to have a good grasp of major workplace dangers so they can contribute to a better protection.

In the section Key Health and Safety Issues you find information about major health and safety issues such as:

  • information on workplace hazards
  • guidance on what each worker can do to prevent injuries and work-related ill health
  • legal developments and
  • information on and for safety reps.

You can also download the bi-monthly Health and Safety News bulletins which provide updates about ongoing developments and events.
Print

Friday, 01 August 2008

Noise at work

Over 1 million employees in Great Britain are exposed to levels of noise at their workplace which endanger their hearing. Excessive noise at work is responsible for about 170,000 people suffering from deafness, ringing in the ears and other ear conditions. Be aware that once you lose your hearing you can never get it back, which means that everybody should comply with pre-emptive measures that stop this happening.

Are you at risk?

Working in the construction industry means that you are exposed to an increased noise level. Tools that can cause hearing loss are commonly used on construction sites, such as hammers, pneumatic impact tools, drills and chainsaws. 

Symptoms and early signs of hearing loss

Hearing loss tends to evolve gradually, which means that by the time you notice it, it can be too late. The following can be early signs of hearing loss:

  • A conversation becomes difficult or impossible
  • Your family complains about the television being too loud
  • You have trouble using the telephone
  • You find it difficult to catch sounds like 't', 'd' and 's', so you confuse similar words
  • You have a permanent tinnitus (ringing, whistling, buzzing or humming in the ears) 
Employers’ responsibilities

In April 2006 the new Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 came into force. They replace the Noise at Work Regulations (1989). Based on the Regulations, employers must comply with several duties in order to protect you from suffering hearing damage. 

·       Employers need to find out what levels of noise you are exposed to and assess the risk to your hearing.

Depending on the levels of noise exposure, your employer must: 

  • take action to reduce the noise exposure that produces those risks
  • provide you with hearing protection if the exposure to noise cannot be reduced enough through other methods
  • make sure the legal limits on noise exposure are not exceeded
  • provide the quietest machinery that will do the job
  • provide you with information, instruction and training
  • consult the employees or their representatives
  • carry out regular health surveillance where there is a risk to health.

Some important changes in terms of the level of exposure are: 

  • Employers must provide hearing protection and hearing protection zones at a level of 85 decibels (daily or weekly average exposure). 
  • Employers must assess the risk to workers' health and provide them with information and training at a level of 80 decibels.
  • Workers must not be exposed to a decible level higher than 87, taking account of any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection.

What you can do…

You can also do a lot to better protect yourself against hearing loss. This includes:  

  • Wear the hearing protection you are provided with. Wear it properly (you should be trained how to do this), and make sure you wear it all the time when you are doing noisy work, and when you are in hearing protection areas. Do not take it off even for a short time.
  • Look after your hearing protection. Your employer should tell you how to look after it and where you can get it from. Make sure you understand what you need to do. Also attend the hearing checks.
  • Report any problems with your hearing protection or noise control devices straight away. Let your employer or safety representative know.
More information:

For more information you can download the Protect your hearing or lose it! leaflet from the HSE. It is available in English and 20 other languages. You can also check out the HSE website on noise (http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/noise.htm) and the construction specific site (http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/noise.htm).