The TUC, RNID and the European Federation of the Hard of Hearing have welcomed a decision by MEPs today (Tuesday) to back a deal with Europe’s governments which will result in much quieter workplaces all over Europe.

Improved hearing protection will be provided to workers under the new Noise at Work Directive and 700,000 British workers ^[1] exposed to loud noise at work will benefit by getting free hearing tests.

EU member states and MEPs including Britain’s Stephen Hughes and Liz Lynne have agreed a compromise on amendments proposed by the European Parliament, clearing away the last hurdle before the new Noise at Work Directive can become law ^[2] . It must be implemented in Britain by the end of 2005.

The TUC’s recent survey ^[3] of workplace safety reps showed that one in five of them (20.1%) were concerned about the hazards of noise in their workplace, with the greatest concerns in the North West and the Midlands. The three industries where most concern was expressed were manufacturing (54%), construction (42%) and leisure (33%).

The new law will:

prohibit noise levels in the workplace of over 90dB (on average);

reduce the noise levels at which various actions should be taken by 5dB (a cut of three quarters, because decibels are logarithmic) from the current levels of 85dB and 90dB;

extend the requirement on employers to provide hearing protection to the one million workers currently exposed to between 80dB and 85dB;

extend the right to a hearing test for the 700,000 workers exposed to between 85dB and 90dB (and to others at 80dB if there is evidence that their hearing is at risk); and

provide union safety reps with new, explicit rights to be consulted over noise risk assessments and the action plans needed to manage those risks, as well as the hearing protection to be issued to workers.

Joint lobbying by the TUC and the RNID led to the last two provisions.

The two organisations also helped to prevent employers from securing an opt-out for the music and entertainment industries. Instead, governments will have to draw up codes of conduct providing practical guidelines to help workers and employers in the leisure industry to comply with the Directive. To allow for consultation with unions and employers, the leisure industry will have until the end of 2007 to comply with the new action levels.

Clubs and concert halls will have to reduce the noise they expose employees to. This can be achieved by staff rotation, hearing protection, acoustic absorption within venues as well as turning the volume down. Orchestras have already begun experimenting with new measures to reduce the noise exposure for professional musicians, because of the number of musicians who end their careers deafened by their colleagues’ noise. DJs often use hearing protection, and ear plug manufacturers report that they are already supplying large quantities to clubs.

TUC General Secretary John Monks said:

'Noise can make you go deaf, so it’s good news that workers will get better protection and more access to hearing tests. Noise exposures can be reduced without interfering with anyone’s enjoyment. Unions and employers will be working together to make the transition easier for clubs and concert halls.'

RNID Director of Communications Brian Lamb said:

'This is excellent news for thousands of workers across the UK who risk losing their hearing through excessive noise at work. Noise damage is the only preventable form of hearing loss - however once hearing is damaged, there is no cure. This directive will mean fewer people will suffer the isolating effects that deafness and hearing loss can bring.'

Notes to Editors:

All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

RNID is the largest charity representing the needs of 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK. As a membership charity, it aims to achieve a radically better quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing people. RNID does this by campaigning and lobbying vigorously, by raising awareness of deafness and hearing loss, by providing services and through social, medical and technical research.

A series of TUC rights leaflets are available on our website and from the know your rights line 0870 600 4 882. Lines are open every day from 8am-10pm. Calls are charged at the national rate.

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Liz Chinchen, TUC Senior Media Officer on 020 7467 1248 or 07699 744115 (pager) or email lchinchen@tuc.org.uk

Other enquiries: Owen Tudor, TUC Senior Policy Officer on 020 7467 1325 or 07788 715261 (mobile) or at otudor@tuc.org.uk or Abigail Jones RNID on 0207296 8060, 07967 440 945 or abigail.jones@rnid.org.uk

[1] HSE indicates that there are 1,097,000 workers exposed to between 80dB to 85dB; 696,800 workers exposed to 85dB to 90dB, and 438,300 workers exposed to more than 90dB - http://www.hse.gov.uk/ria/noise/noise.htm

[2] Technically the Parliament and the Council of Ministers have to endorse the decision, but this is a formality.

[3] TUC Survey of Safety Reps 2002, forthcoming. Regional and sectoral statistics are available.

Press release (900 words) issued 22 Oct 2002

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