Why We Need to Take the "Invisible" Risk of Noise Seriously          

When we talk about workplace safety, we usually focus on the things we can see—forklift movements, trip hazards, or working at heights. But there is a permanent, life-changing injury that happens quietly every day: noise-induced hearing loss.

You might not realise you’re damaging your ears but there are ways to tell you’re harming your ears; ringing in the ears while working is the top indicator. But once your hearing is gone, it doesn't come back.

As a Health and Safety Manager at SGW World, my role goes beyond simply issuing hearing protection such as earplugs. It involves assessing employees’ exposure to noise emissions, implementing procedures to eliminate or reduce noise exposure so far as reasonably practicable, and ensuring that appropriate hearing protection is provided in line with the identified noise levels.

1. Control the Source, Not Just the Person

The biggest mistake in noise management is jumping straight to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Ear defenders or ear plugs should be our last line of defence, not our first.

Our first step is to reduce noise wherever we can. Can we move a noisy compressor into a separate room? Can we use soundproofing or acoustic shrouds around machinery? Can we rotate employees to reduce exposure times? Even basic tool maintenance makes a massive difference—a rattling, unlubricated or old machine is significantly louder than a well-maintained one. If we can't make it quiet, we isolate it.

2. The Danger of "Over-Protecting"

It sounds odd, but you can actually provide too much protection. If a worker wears high-grade hearing protection in an area that only requires moderate protection, this creates new risks. They can’t hear warning alarms, moving vehicles, or colleagues alerting you of an incident. shouting a warning.

The goal is to hit the "sweet spot"—reducing noise to a safe level (usually between 70-80dB at the ear) without cutting the wearer off from the world around them.

3. Knowing Your Numbers

We can’t manage what we don’t measure. This is why third-party occupational noise exposure assessments are vital. They give us an objective map of our site, showing exactly where noise levels may pose a risk to hearing but don’t necessarily exceed the legal threshold that required mandatory hearing protection. These areas are established with advisory signage to encourage employees to wear hearing protection as a precautionary measure helping to prevent hearing loss over time.

Areas where noise levels require mandatory hearing protection are highlighted with signs stating that hearing protection must be worn.

These assessments feed directly into our RAMS (Risk Assessments and Method Statements). It’s not just paperwork; it’s the blueprint for how we keep our team safe during a specific task.

4. Supporting the Individual

Everyone’s hearing is different. For those who wear hearing aids, standard ear defenders might not be the right fit or could cause feedback. We work closely with Occupational Health to monitor our team’s hearing through regular hearing tests. This helps us spot any changes early, rather than waiting until someone has a problem. We encourage our employees to let us know if there have any changes or concerns in their hearing.

5. It Starts Before You Enter

Protection shouldn't be an afterthought. We ensure earplugs and defenders are available before you enter a noisy zone. If you have to walk into a high-decibel area to find your PPE, the damage is already being done.

The Bottom Line

Noise isn't just a nuisance; it’s a health hazard. Whether it’s internal machinery or environmental noise affecting our neighbours in Crewe, we have a responsibility to manage it properly.

Businesses and employees must treat hearing protection as vital, because once you lose your hearing it won’t come back.

The Legal Bit: What the Law Says

In the UK, noise isn't just a matter of "best practice"—it’s a legal requirement. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 sets specific thresholds where we are required by law to take action.

For further reading visit the HSE noise pages here:  Noise at work