New Hearing Regulations at Work

New and tighter regulations are due to come into force next month to reduce workplace noise and protect the health of employees.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC), together with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People have urged firms to install sound absorbing materials, provide quite areas and replace noisy machinery.

Hugh Robertson, senior health and safety executive of the TUC has warned “a wave of compensation claims from staff” could follow if firms ignore the new rules. He said:

“If properly implemented these regulations will save the hearing of literally hundreds of thousands of people. Better to rigorously enforce safe noise levels to prevent hearing damage, than leave employees to go through the courts for compensation after their hearing has already been harmed.”