The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, in plain English

If you employ people who work around noisy machinery, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 place legal duties on you as the employer. This is a plain-English guide to what those duties actually are — not legal advice, but a map of what a compliant approach looks like.

What the Regulations are for

Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, and it is preventable. The Regulations exist to make sure workers are not exposed to noise levels that damage their hearing over a working life. They apply across manufacturing, construction, engineering, woodworking, food and drink, warehousing and any other workplace where noise is a feature of the job.

Your core duties as an employer

• Assess the risk. Where noise is likely to be significant, carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of your employees' exposure — measured, not guessed.
• Eliminate or reduce exposure at source. The law expects you to control the noise itself first (quieter equipment, enclosures, screens, maintenance, layout), not simply hand out ear defenders.
• Provide hearing protection where a risk remains, and mark Hearing Protection Zones where it is mandatory.
• Provide information, instruction and training so people understand the risk and how to protect themselves.
• Provide health surveillance (hearing checks) for those at risk.
• Keep records and review the assessment when things change.

The numbers that trigger action

The duties are tied to defined action values — daily personal noise exposure levels at which specific actions become legally required. In short, controls and hearing protection are triggered at 80–85 dB(A), and there is an absolute limit at 87 dB(A). The next guide explains each figure.

Do the Regulations apply to a small business?

Yes — they apply regardless of size. If you have to raise your voice to hold a conversation about two metres apart, noise is likely to be a risk and an assessment is the sensible next step.