The Noise at Work Regulations 1989

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations give effect as respects Great Britain to provisions of Council Directive 86/188/EEC (OJ No. L137, 24.5.86, p.28) on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to noise at work.

The Regulations–

(a) impose requirements on employers with respect to the making and review of noise assessments (regulation 4);

(b) impose requirements on employers with respect to the keeping of records of noise assessments and reviews thereof (regulation 5);

(c) impose requirements on employers with respect to the reduction of risk of damage to the hearing of their employees from exposure to noise (regulation 6);

(d) impose requirements on employers with respect to the reduction of exposure to noise of their employees (regulation 7);

(e) impose requirements on employers with respect to the provision to their employees of personal ear protectors (regulation 8);

(f) impose requirements on employers with respect to the marking of, and entry of their employees into, ear protection zones (regulation 9);

(g) impose requirements on employers and employees with respect to the use and maintenance of equipment provided by employers pursuant to the provisions of the Regulations (regulation 10);

(h) impose requirements on employers with respect to the provision of information, instruction and training to such of their employees as are likely to be exposed to specified noise levels (regulation 11);

(i) modify section 6(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (c. 37) (general duties of designers, etc., of articles for use at work and articles of fairground equipment) so that any duty imposed by that subsection includes in specified circumstances a duty to provide certain information relating to noise generation (regulation 12);

(j) provide for the issue of certificates of exemption by the Health and Safety Executive and the Secretary of State for Defence (regulations 13 and 14 respectively); and

(k) revoke regulation 44 of the Woodworking Machines Regulations 1974 (S.I. 1974/903) (regulation 15).

The duties imposed by the Regulations do not (in the circumstances specified in regulation 3(a)) extend to the masters and crews of sea-going ships or to their employers; nor do they (in the circumstances specified in regulation 3(b)) extend to the crews of aircraft and hovercraft or to other persons on board such craft.