The dramatic effect of the one risk you can’t see The reclassification of hearing protection under PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 and what it means for you protecting people

The World Health Organisation states... ‘Noise induced hearing loss is the most common, permanent and irreversible injury in the world and tinnitus is the third most serious non-fatal medical condition’ It’s time to get serious about Acoustic Trauma The facts: There are 11 million people with hearing loss in the UK, that’s around one in six of us. More than 40% of people over 50 years old have hearing loss, rising to 71% of people over the age of 70. By 2035, we estimate there’ll be around 15.6 million people with hearing loss across the UK – that’s one in five. Around one in 10 UK adults have...

The wider implications of hearing loss The consequences of hearing loss have a relatively low profile that needs elevation as they have wider implications to the individual, their quality of life and the impact it can have on their family. • Impact on family life • Impact on life quality and lifestyle • Risk of alienation • Speech deterioration • Potential loss of income • Reduced productivity • Cost to the employer in individual hearing aids • Failure to hear alarms = danger • Failure to hear instructions = frustration Hearing loss can be seen as an inevitability and as a result is not taken...

On 21st April 2016 the transition period for the new PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 came into force resulting in the old Directive being revoked on 21st April 2018. The new PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 is a binding legislative Act which is applied automatically to the whole of the EU, whereas a Directive sets out an objective for EU countries to achieve by a given date and needs to be transposed into each member states national law. The EU’s new PPE Regulation identifies workplace noise as a significant health risk, prompting a category change for hearing protection. There are much wider consequences...

What does the revised Category change mean? Products classed as Category II must be submitted for testing to gain CE approval but do not need to be retested. Products in Category III must also go through this initial test and then continue to meet the requirements of the standard through ongoing surveillance testing. This requires samples to be submitted for testing annually, unless manufactured under ISO 9001 or other accredited quality management system. Products must also continue to meet the requirements of the latest version of the standards. What does the revised Category change mean to...

What are the employer’s responsibilities – legal duties? The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 came into force on 6 April 2006, bringing significant changes to the actions which were required by employers and employees under the previous Noise at Work Regulations 1989. Employers had extra responsibilities, and noise exposures and level limits were lowered. The Regulations cover virtually all workplaces, from construction sites to call centres and motorcycle couriers. What does the law require employers to do? The Control of Noise at Work Regulations...

uvex Technical Support Services uvex offers effective training packages which highlight the health benefits of protecting employees from hearing loss. Following a noise assessment, our professionals are available to guide you through the process of selecting the right hearing protection based on noise exposure levels and delivering training to ensure correct fitting for maximum protection and comfort. uvex can assist with a ‘noise check’ to identify tasks, environments and/or employees who might be exposed to potentially harmful levels of noise. We will discuss the results and help identify if...

UVEX SAFETY (UK) Ltd uvex House Farnham Trading Estate Farnham Surrey GU9 9NW T: 01252 731200 F: 01252 733968 E: [email protected] I: uvex-safety.co.uk protecting people