WSH (Noise) Regulations 2011

Please refer to the Regulations for full details.


ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS


PART I - PRELIMINARY
Regulation
1. Citation and commencement
2. Definitions
3. Application
PART II - NOISE CONTROL
4. Measures to reduce or control noise
5. Appointment of competent person to advise on noise control
6. Duty of manufacturers and suppliers of noisy machinery or equipment
PART III - NOISE MONITORING,HEARING PROTECTORS AND TRAINING
7. Noise monitoring
8. Hearing protectors
9. Training programme
PART IV - MISCELLANEOUS
10. Revocation

The Schedule

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PART I - PRELIMINARY
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations shall come into operation on 1st September 2011.

‘‘responsible person’’, in relation to a relevant person, means —
(a) his employer; or
(b) the principal under whose direction the relevant person carries out the work in the workplace.

For the purposes of these Regulations —
(a) a person shall be deemed to be exposed to excessive noise, if the noise that he would be exposed to, when not wearing any hearing protector, exceeds —
(i) the permissible exposure limit for noise specified in the Schedule;
(ii) an equivalent sound pressure level of 85 dB(A) over an 8-hour work day, in any case where the noise is at a fluctuating sound pressure level; or
(iii) a peak sound pressure level exceeding 140 dB(C)


Application
These Regulations shall apply to every workplace where a person is exposed or is likely to be exposed to excessive noise caused by —
(a) any machinery or equipment used in the workplace; or
(b) any process, operation or work carried out in the workplace.

PART II - NOISE CONTROL
Measures to reduce or control noise
Duty of the occupier of a workplace to take measures to reduce or control the noise from any machinery or equipment used, so that no person at work in the workplace is exposed or is likely to be exposed to excessive noise.

Duty of the responsible person to take measures to reduce or control the noise from any process, operation or work carried on by him in a workplace, so that no person at work in the workplace is exposed or is likely to be exposed to excessive noise.

The measures referred to may include one or more of the following:

• replacing noisy machinery, equipment, processes, operation or work with less noisy machinery, equipment, processes, operation or work


• locating noise sources away from hard walls or corners


• isolating noise sources, so as to minimise the number of persons at work in the workplace who are exposed to the noise


• constructing suitable acoustic enclosures to contain noise emitted by machinery, equipment, processes, operation or work


• erecting an effective noise barrier larger in size than the noise source to provide acoustic shielding


• operating pneumatic machinery, equipment or tools at optimum air pressure to minimise noise emission and installing suitable pneumatic silencers at pneumatic line outlets


• installing mufflers at intake and exhaust openings that emit noise


• mounting vibrating machinery on vibration isolators or separate foundations


• isolating persons at work in the workplace in an acoustically shielded room or enclosure, where reduction of noise at the noise source is not practicable


• lining hard surfaces with acoustically absorbent materials to reduce noise reverberation


• isolating or reducing the size and vibration of vibrating surfaces or applying damping materials to vibrating surfaces


• reducing the height from which objects are allowed to fall or applying a resilient material at the point of impact or at the point of interaction of moving objects


• maintaining machinery and equipment at regular intervals to reduce noise emission.

Where it is not practicable to reduce the noise, it is the duty of the occupier of a workplace or the responsible person to limit the duration of time persons at work in the workplace are exposed to the noise so that such persons are not exposed to excessive noise.

Appointment of competent person to advise on noise control
Where there are 50 or more relevant persons employed or working in a workplace, it shall be the duty of the occupier of the workplace to appoint a competent person to advise on all proper
noise control measures.

Duty of the competent person - ensure that his advice on the noise control measures is adequate, suitable and effective.
Ooccupier of a workplace to implement such measures as advised by the competent person.


Duty of manufacturers and suppliers of noisy machinery or equipment

• furnish, to the person to whom the machinery or equipment is supplied, such information as the Commissioner may require concerning the sound level which is likely to be generated by the machinery or equipment; and


• indicate, by means of a sign or label on the machinery or equipment —
  (i) the need to wear hearing protectors when exposed to the noise from the machinery or equipment; and
  (ii) such other information as the Commissioner may require.

PART III - NOISE MONITORING, HEARING PROTECTORS AND TRAINING

Noise monitoring

Where there are 10 or more relevant persons employed, occupier of the workplace to cause noise monitoring to be carried out at least once every 3 years, or earlier if any change in machinery, equipment, process, operation, work, control or other condition is likely to cause persons to be exposed to excessive noise.

Ooccupier of the workplace to —
(a) appoint a competent person to carry out noise monitoring;
(b) not later than 14 days after receiving the report from the competent person, communicate
the contents of the report to all relevant persons;
(c) not later than 30 days after the carrying out of the noise monitoring, submit a copy of the report to the Commissioner; and
(d) keep the report available for at least 10 years.

Competent person to :

• carry out noise monitoring using —
  (i) recognised methods;
  (ii) accepted standard procedures; and
  (iii) suitable equipment which is properly calibrated to ensure accuracy;


• properly interpret the results of noise monitoring;


• prepare a report of the results of noise monitoring; and


• submit the report to the occupier of the workplace not later than 14 days after the carrying out of noise monitoring.

Hearing protectors
The responsible person to provide suitable hearing protectors to every relevant person.

Duty of the responsible person to ensure that any hearing protectors provided shall —
(a) correctly fit the user;
(b) attenuate the exposure of the user to sound pressure levels below 85 dB(A);
(c) be compatible with the job requirements of the user; and
(d) not prejudice the health and safety of the user.

The responsible person to establish and implement procedures to ensure that —
(a) hearing protectors are properly issued and maintained; and
(b) every relevant person —
(i) uses hearing protectors; and
(ii) is instructed in the proper use of the hearing protectors.

Occupier of a workplace to ensure that warning signs are posted at all entrances to or at the periphery of all areas of the workplace in which any person is exposed or is likely to be exposed to excessive noise.


Training programme
Responsible person to institute a training programme for every relevant person.
Responsible person to ensure that the training programme includes instruction in the following:
(a) the relevant provisions of the Act and these Regulations;
(b) the effects of noise on hearing;
(c) the purpose of hearing protectors;
(d) the advantages, disadvantages and attenuation of various types of hearing protectors;
(e) the selection, fitting, use and care of hearing protectors; and
(f) the purpose of hearing tests and the appropriate procedures and requirements of such tests.

Responsible person to conduct the training programme for every relevant person —
(a) within 3 months of that person first commencing work in the workplace; and
(b) at least once every 12 months.

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