The Health and Safety Executive has launched a new Workplace Noise Intervention project to tackle noise-induced hearing loss.
The Health and Safety Executive has launched a UK-wide project which will see inspectors target high noise industries to assess their hearing protection. The project is part of an overall bid to reduce noise-induced hearing loss in the workplace and will focus heavily on the construction industry.
Across the next year, 500 inspectors will be visiting construction sites around the country to see whether adequate hearing protection is being provided and, if not, enforcing these health and safety measures.
As the second biggest cause of hearing loss, this is a significant development in the world of hearing health. Read on to find out why the project is so necessary and how it will impact the construction industry.
What is noise-induced hearing loss?
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a form of sensorineural hearing loss that occurs because of overexposure to loud volumes, or a one-time traumatic event (such as an explosion). Prolonged exposure to sounds over 85 dB can cause permanent damage to the delicate structures in our inner ear, impacting the neural pathways that carry signals to our brain which are then registered as sound.
After age-related factors, exposure to loud noises is the second biggest cause of hearing loss. It can also go hand in hand with tinnitus, with over-exposure to loud volumes triggering this debilitating condition.
Noise exposure on construction sites – on average – will regularly surpass 85 dB. With that in mind, perhaps it is not a surprise that more than one in 10 US construction workers (14%) have hearing difficulty. In fact, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), found that 51% of all workers in the sector had been exposed to hazardous noise, while more than half (52%) of those exposed to noise reported not wearing hearing protection.
Yet the permanent and progressive condition of NIHL – which can cause sleep loss, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, social isolation and loneliness, reduced work opportunities, long-term stress, and relationship difficulties – is entirely preventable. That’s why more needs to be done to regulate and enforce the right hearing safety measures across all industries.
What is the HSE Workplace Noise Intervention project?
This is a multi-year campaign tackling high-noise industries to ensure that duty holders’ management of hearing protection is sufficient and in line with HSE regulations. Inspectors will visit sites across the country and rate them based on their approach to hearing protection. They will do this using the acronym ‘CUFF’.
C = Condition. Is the hearing protection in good order and well maintained?
U = Use. Are the employees using hearing protection when needed?
F = Fit the ear. Have the employees fitted their hearing protection properly?
F = Fit for purpose. Is the hearing protection correctly specified? Is the attenuation excessive, causing a safety risk?
Chris Steel, Principal Inspector for Noise and Vibration for the HSE, said: “Workplace noise has always been a matter of evident concern for HSE Inspectors, and we see a reliance on hearing protection rather than control. We want people to understand that relying on hearing protection means you also need to manage that hearing protection; this is not always easy. We want to encourage use of the CUFF acronym to check if your hearing protection programme is working and if it isn’t, fix it. Our hope is that this will get people to start thinking more about how to reduce workplace noise”.
“It is early days, but our initial inspections indicate that, for duty-holders, key concerns have been; making sure employees know when, where and how to use hearing protection, knowing when to have health surveillance and missing opportunities to buy quiet. From the third party consultancy reports we are reviewing, the key concerns have been around giving duty-holders good advice on hearing protection specifications and missed opportunities to provide advice on noise controls.
“The Noise and Vibration team at HSE hope to give more detail on each part of the inspection programme as we progress through this year and the years to come.”
As part of the project, HSE is encouraging industry managers to ‘buy quiet’. Speaking of the ‘buy quiet’ approach, Dr David Greenberg – founder of EAVE ear defenders – said:
“Construction is an industry where there is a lot of will to improve and where improvements are happening.
“Given the level of noise that tools and machinery used in the sector can generate, companies should be checking product information sheets to select products that produce the lowest level of noise for workers to use.
“Unfortunately that can only go so far. Because actually the noise generated has much more to do with the way that it’s being used and the way that it’s being maintained.”
The hope is that by driving greater awareness among workers and ensuring employers are offering the right hearing protection (in line with CUFF guidance), less people will fall victim to noise-induced hearing loss in the workplace.
BIHIMA Chairman, Paul Surridge, said:
“There’s a strong body of research to suggest that of the 12 million UK adults suffering from hearing loss, nearly two million of those have had their hearing impaired due to exposure to harmful noises at work. We know that the impact of hearing loss is enormous, and if there are forms of hearing loss that can actually be avoided we – collectively – need to do all we can to ensure that the hearing loss never happens in the first place. Better regulation and enforcement of these rules on high noise work sites is a fantastic way to start that process.”
Why is the project such a big step for the hearing loss industry?
While there has been guidance available for several years about how to best protect worker’s hearing, the HSE is now actually taking the steps to enforce those guidelines. This is a major shift in their approach.
Paul continued, “In the past, the HSE has delivered robust campaigns around the hazards of dust, vibration, asbestos and many other health factors. To see this attention now turning towards noise is hugely reassuring. Construction workers are subjected to equipment that is extremely loud for long periods of time – clearly, without the right hearing protection, this is going to have a long-term impact. With this new project, the guidance is being actively enforced. Changes have to happen and the HSE is now driving that change.”
The Workplace Health Expert Committee (WHEC) report found that around 20% of the working population in Great Britain could be exposed to high noise levels. It also reported that while there are limited statistics on the prevalence of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) in Britain, the most likely affected groups of workers are those who have been employed in the armed services, shipyards, construction, and agriculture.
Dr Greenberg added: “Through our work to tell people about the risks of work-related hearing loss, we’ve come to learn that only some people respond to education and awareness, but of course everybody would respond to the fear of fines or inspections. Up until now, we’ve never had the proper consequence for duty holders not protecting their workers’ hearing.
“Perhaps surprisingly, while people can claim industrial injuries disablement benefit (IIDB) for occupational hearing loss, if you are an employer or duty holder, currently you don’t have to report people going deaf as a result of noise exposure at work. So there’s never even been the fear of having to tell people that your work environment has led to employee hearing loss (whether you work in construction or any industry).
“I truly believe this proactive approach from the HSE is what’s been missing for the industry to actually change how it thinks about and prioritises noise.”
For HSE advice and guidance on noise at work, please visit the HSE website.
