It’s important for all businesses to ensure that their employees’ health and wellbeing are being maintained at work. However, what that looks like in practice will vary from one business to the next. For businesses where employees could be exposed to loud noises, that’ll mean working to protect their hearing.
While some of the responsibility for looking after their hearing will rest with the employee, business leaders must take adequate precautions to ensure that staff member’s hearing is as well protected as possible. In this post, we’ll take a look at a few tried-and-tested tips for doing just that.
Assess the Risks
All workplaces are noisy from time to time. It’s your job to determine the extent and level of risk that excessive noise in your workplace poses to your employees. For example, does the decibel level ever reach dangerous levels? Is there consistent noise in the workplace? Do employees ever have to raise their voices to make themselves heard?
It’ll be different for each workplace. Conducting an assessment to determine the risks is the first step towards management. If you’re not sure what you’re looking — or rather, listening — for, then hire an outside agency to conduct the job on your behalf.
Reducing Noise
The most effective way to minimise the risk of noise damage is to reduce sound levels. How to do that might not always seem immediately obvious, but there are a few effective strategies for doing so. One method is to look at upgrading to quieter equipment or adding silencers to existing equipment. Installing acoustic enclosures is another effective, budget-friendly solution. In some cases, you can reduce your employees’ exposure to sound simply by changing the layout of the working environment. If nothing else, then look at reducing the amount of time an employee has to stay in a noisy environment.
Providing Protective Equipment
Protective hearing equipment is highly effective at reducing the risks associated with noise exposure — but only if the PPE is of appropriate standard and is worn correctly. Investing in industry-leading hearing equipment is essential for maintaining the hearing health of your employees. Once it’s arrived, staff members should be trained on the importance of wearing the PPE you have supplied.
Schedule Hearing Tests
Scheduling regular hearing tests for your employees is an effective way to look after their hearing health — and to show them that you care about their overall well-being. Depending on the level of risk, you may schedule every few months or every year.
Communicate With Employees
Finally, be sure to communicate with employees about the risks that your work facilities pose to their hearing, the steps you’re taking to minimise those risks, and how they can do their part to protect their hearing. Keeping your employees in the loop empowers them to take control of their hearing health, and ultimately helps to make the workplace safer. If everyone is aware of the risks and takes steps to protect both their hearing and the hearing of their colleagues, then everyone benefits.
