General Note

NHS Fife acknowledges and agrees with the importance of regular and timely review of policy statements and aims to review policies within the timescales set out. New policies will be subject to a review date of no more than 1 year from the date of first issue.

Reviewed policies will have a review date set that is relevant to the content (advised by the author) but will be no longer than 3 years.

If a policy is past its review date, then the content will remain extant until such time as the policy review is complete and the new version published, or if national policy or legislative changes are made

1. FUNCTION

1.1 This procedure and any associated guidance, protocols and documentation have been developed to allow NHS Fife to comply with the requirements of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 [hereafter referred to as the Noise Regulations].

1.2 The aim is to set out how NHS Fife will manage the risk of exposure to high noise levels through the use of appropriate assessments, noise control measures and, where necessary, the provision of personal protective equipment.

2. LOCATION

2.1 The procedure applies across all areas of NHS Fife and the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership.

3. SCOPE

3.1 The procedure applies to all NHS Fife and Fife Health and Social Care Partnership staff including agency and contracted personnel, and any other person who is not an NHS Fife employee, but who is working under the supervision and direction of an NHS Fife employee.

4. RESPONSIBILITY

4.1 Senior and line managers are responsible for:

• Ensuring risk assessments of the work environment are carried out where noise is indicated as a potential hazard and that action is taken to reduce the noise exposure that produces risks.
• Ensuring the legal limits on noise exposure are not exceeded.
• Provision of hearing protection if the noise exposure cannot be reduced by using other methods.
• Ensuring that all staff are aware of this procedure, understand its content and those of local and associated procedures.
• Ensuring that all noise risk assessments are reviewed in response to any changes in procedures, equipment, location, type of personnel, legislation or other external requirements.
• Ensuring that staff groups and individuals identified as being at risk are given appropriate information, instruction and training.
• Monitoring the effectiveness of risk control measures relating to noise at work through an effective system of local reporting, investigating and where required recording on DATIX.
• Ensuring staff are appropriately identified via the noise risk assessment process and sent for health surveillance where there is a known risk to health.

4.1.1 Manager actions and responsibilities are shown in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Noise Risk Assessment Flowchart [ref 6.1 Appendix 1].

4.1.2 Guidance on assessing Noise Levels is given in NHS Fife Noise Assessment Guidance [ref 6.2 Appendix 2].

4.3 All employees are responsible for:

• Taking reasonable care of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions.
• Co-operating by following local arrangements for safe work in a noisy environment and working in a manner which controls risk to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.
• Wearing any PPE provided properly and ensuring it is cleaned and stored and reporting any damage to reusable PPE to their line manager.
• Reporting all incidents and unsafe conditions arising out of the work environment that did or could result in loss, injury or damage.
• Undertaking training and education designed to meet the requirements of the procedure.
• Attending health surveillance appointments where indicated as a requirement within the risk assessment process.

4.3.1 Staff actions and responsibilities are shown in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Noise Risk Assessment Flowchart [ref 6.1 Appendix 1].

4. OPERATIONAL SYSTEM

4.1 Managers

4.1.1 The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 lay down duties to assess noise levels in the workplace, and determine any risk to hearing. There is also the requirement to eliminate noise at source where possible, or to reduce noise exposure to as low as reasonably practicable.

4.1.2 Where exposure is between the lower and upper exposure action values (80 – 84dB (A weighted)), an assessment of the risk to workers' health must be completed. Staff must also be provided with information and training. Hearing protection must be available for all employees who ask for them, but the Noise Regulations do not make their use compulsory.

4.1.3 Where noise exposure exceeds the upper exposure action values (85dB (A weighted) and above), hearing protection must be provided for employees and their use enforced.

4.1.4 The risk assessment control measures must identify:

• hearing protection zones, i.e. areas where the use of hearing protection is compulsory, and mark them with signs if possible.
• the employees who require training and information on how to use and care for the hearing protection and identify how and when this will be provided.
• how the hearing protectors will be properly used and maintained and the supervision required to ensure this.
• that the hearing protection gives enough protection - aim at least to get below 85 dB at the ear.
• Guidance on hearing protection is included in Provision of Hearing Protection [ref 6.3 Appendix 3].

4.1.5 Information, Instruction and Training must cover the following elements:

• Likely noise exposure and associated risks
• Findings of any risk assessments and identified control measures
• Exposure action and limit values
• Availability and correct use of hearing protection
• Why and how to detect first signs of hearing damage
• The entitlement to health surveillance
• Safe working practices to limit noise exposure

4.2 Staff

4.2.1 Where any individual feels that their hearing is deteriorating and who works within an area where there is significant noise exposure, they must report this to their manager in order to be referred to Occupational Health.

4.3 Occupational Health

4.3.1 Health surveillance (hearing checks) shall be provided by the Occupational Health Department for all employees who are likely to be regularly exposed above the upper exposure action values, or at risk for any reason, e.g. they already suffer from hearing loss or are particularly sensitive to damage (without taking the protective effects of hearing protection into account).

4.3.2 Health surveillance must be carried out before people are exposed to noise (i.e. for new starts or those changing posts), where the post has been identified to Occupational Health as requiring audiograms, to give a baseline. It can however, be introduced at any time for employees already exposed to noise, as identified by risk assessment. This would be followed by a series of checks.

5.  RISK MANAGEMENT

5.1 This Procedure is part of the NHS Fife system for managing risk.

6. RELATED DOCUMENTS

· Appendix 1: HSE Noise Risk Assessment Flowchart.

· Appendix 2: NHS Fife Noise Assessment Guidance

· Appendix 3: Provision of Hearing Protection

· NHS Fife Personal Protective Equipment Procedure – GP/P4

· NHS Fife Health Surveillance Policy- GP/H5

7. REFERENCES

· Controlling Noise at Work, The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, Guidance on the regulations - (L108, third edition, 2021). Health & Safety Executive

· Noise at Work: A Brief Guide to Controlling the Risks (INDG362, rev2, 2012). Health & Safety Executive