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Environmental noise
Building regulation approval
Download noise regulations

Too much noise terminology? Try the noise glossary

HSMC also offer noise awareness training for employees and a Managing Noise course for people responsible for noise safety at work.

Noise survey vs
noise assessment

Technically a 'noise survey' is simply a measure of general noise levels in the workplace. A 'noise assessment' is a measure of personal risk arising from noise exposures and must include recommendations for noise reduction where possible.

Often these terms are mixed up and used interchangeably. To be clear, the Noise Regulations require a noise assessment and although it may be referred to as a noise survey, HSMC provide noise assessments allowing you to comply with the Noise Regs.

Noise Surveys / Noise Assessments

Noise surveys or noise assessments are used where noise is suspected to be a hazard and risk assessments for noise are required by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. One of the first questions employers have to decide is whether they need a noise survey in the first place, after all, there's no point in paying someone to do a noise assessment if there is no risk present. This initial decision is a bit of guesswork on the part of the employer but the following are useful signs to look out for:

People have to talk loudly to be understood by someone 2m away. I SAID, PEOPLE HAVE TO TALK LOUDLY....
Employees complain that their ears 'ring' when they go somewhere quiet.
Do your employees comment on people at home complaining that they have the TV or radio too loud - especially if to them it sounds normal.
Information from equipment manufacturers such as a plate fixed to the equipment itself or values given in the accompanying documentation. This will not tell you exactly what noise exposure the operator gets but is a useful guide.

If you think any of these may apply to your workplace or to people working in the areas in question then a noise survey is needed to measure the actual levels present.

Using the latest equipment and Institute of Acoustics certified competent assessors HSMC can undertake this noise survey for you, providing valuable data on the noise risk levels present and helping you comply with these regulations.

Our noise survey / noise assessment includes:

Type 1 noise measurement
	Noise meters commonly come in two 'Types'. Type 2 is the minimum standard for assessments which are in compliance with the Noise Regulations. Type 1 is the 'gold standard', offering greater levels of accuracy and reliability.
Average noise exposures including personal dosemeters
	HSMC will measure the noise received by your employees and will provide the noise measurement results required to fully comply with the noise risk assessment sections of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations. This includes Leq, Lep,d, Peak levels, etc. (and we will tell you in English what these mean practically for you). We have two methods for doing this, firstly the hand-held units provide logging data which allows us to plot the noise levels each second for both general noise and the complete octave range. This way we can accurately measure noise levels across workplaces. The second is the personal dose monitoring which is done with several wearable dosemeters in the form of metal 'badges'. After downloading to the main unit the pattern of the noise exposure experienced by the wearer is provided in the form of a graph, along with the actual noise exposure for the period monitored. Any potential client looking for verification of the level of data obtained by these dosebadges, along with a sample from the Pulsar30 hand-held noise meter, will find sample results in the example noise data page.
Octave Band Noise Analysis
	In addition to the overall or total noise levels, we provide a breakdown of the noise into its component frequencies. Why do you need this? Hearing protection such as muffs or plugs offer varying levels of protection at different frequencies therefore providing an analysis of the frequency levels allows selection of the appropriate hearing protection.
Peak Sound Pressures
	Some noises are sharp, fast percussive sounds and in these instances the peak sound pressure is important.
Employer's Noise Survey / Noise Assessment Report
	Includes all the following as standard: Possibly the most commonly read section - a plain-language management summary of the overall noise assessment findings, to-the-point detail of where it is loud and a synopsis of what you need to do about it. Average sound exposure values and all personal dosemeter results. Identification of noise peaks and the values they reached. Octave band sound analysis for all areas in excess of 85dB(A). Comments and recommendations on the hearing protection which is appropriate for the noise risks you have, including verification of your existing hearing protection if suitable as required by the Noise at Work Regulations. Recommended noise reduction measures - an Action Plan based on the findings and observations from the noise assessment.

Octave band analysis display

Dosebadge in use

Environmental noise nuisance and surveys for Building Regulation approval
HSMC specialises in workplace noise exposure for the purposes of risk assessment under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Unfortunately we are unable to offer noise surveys for environmental nuisance purposes, e.g. noisy neighbours, noise from a process causing disturbance to residential areas, etc. as this is a separate discipline from workplace noise measurement. This is also the case for surveys being conducted for building regulation approval measuring factors such as noise transmission between floors and walls, etc.

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