Tinnitus Awareness Week

Protecting Your Hearing at Work

Harmful noise is a top 3 health hazard in the workplace, affecting industries from construction and manufacturing to warehouses and transport. While it might not leave visible injuries like a heavy object or slippery floors, prolonged exposure to high noise levels can cause serious and lasting hearing damage. During Tinnitus Awareness Week, it’s the ideal time to raise awareness and ensure your team is properly protected. Please feel free to share this blog with your team as a valuable resource.

In the UK, PPE hearing protection must meet EN 352 standards, ensuring effective noise reduction and comfort.

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a condition where a person hears sounds in their ears that aren’t caused by an external source. These sounds are often described as high-pitched, can be temporary or permanent and are often linked to prolonged exposure to loud noise. Tinnitus can be mild for some people, but for others it can affect sleep, concentration and overall quality of life. Recognising early symptoms and taking preventative action can protect hearing in the long term.

Myth buster: Tinnitus is not just limited to ringing; it frequently includes sounds like hissing, buzzing, humming, whistling, roaring or clicking.

Workplace Noise and Safe Decibel Levels - Employer Responsibilities

Workplace noise is measured in decibels (dB). Under UK law, employers have a duty to assess noise levels and implement appropriate controls to protect workers’ hearing. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) set clear exposure limits and action levels that employers must follow.

Typical Workplace Noise Levels and Required Actions:

UK Noise at Work Regulations: Key Employer Duties

Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employers must act when noise exposure reaches specific thresholds:

• 80 dB (Lower Exposure Action Value)
  Employers must assess noise risks, provide information and training, and make hearing protection available if requested.
• 85 dB (Upper Exposure Action Value)
  Employers must implement noise control measures and provide suitable hearing protection, ensuring it is worn.
• Above 85 dB
  Hearing protection is mandatory, exposure times must be reduced, and steps must be taken to lower noise at source wherever reasonably practicable.

Summary for Employers

Managing workplace noise is a legal requirement and a critical part of protecting long-term employee health. Regular noise assessments, correct PPE selection and clear training ensure compliance and help prevent irreversible hearing damage such as tinnitus.

Selecting and Managing Hearing Protection

Employers should ensure workplace noise levels are accurately measured and that hearing protection is matched to the environment using SNR (Single Number Rating) values.

SNR (Single Number Rating)

SNR is a simple number that shows how much noise a hearing protector can reduce, measured in decibels (dB). For example, if workplace noise is 100 dB and the hearing protection has an SNR of 25, the noise reaching the ear is reduced to approximately 75 dB. This helps bring exposure down to safer levels.

The aim is to reduce individual noise exposure to below 85 dB(A). Choosing protection with the correct SNR is important, too little protection leaves workers at risk, while too much can make communication difficult.

Hearing protection must fit properly, be comfortable and be suitable for the task to ensure it is worn consistently. Ill-fitting or uncomfortable PPE is far less likely to provide effective protection, and there is a risk that workers will remove PPE due to discomfort.

To maintain compliance and effectiveness, employers should carry out regular reviews of noise levels, provide ongoing training, and routinely check hearing protection equipment to ensure it remains suitable and in good condition.

Summary

During Tinnitus Awareness Week, take the opportunity to assess workplace noise levels and ensure your team is equipped with the correct hearing protection for the UK. Just like safety footwear, glove or helmets, protecting hearing is vital to long-term health and safety.

At Impact Workwear, we offer a wide range of certified hearing protection solutions designed to meet EN standards. Equip your team with the right ear protection, their hearing depends on it.

Click this link to explore our hearing protection range. 

Learn more about Tinnitus Awareness Week and how you can get involved here.