TUC wants more consultation on noise

The TUC has welcomed proposals for introducing new regulations on noise at work, while arguing that the regulations and guidance should be tightened up.

In its submission to the recent consultation on the proposals, the TUC said that the draft regulations – which transpose the European Physical Agents (Noise) Directive into UK legislation – omit some important points on consultation which appear in the directive.

In particular, the directive explicitly states that safety reps should be consulted on three issues – risk assessments, action arising from risk assessments, and selection of protective hearing equipment – over and above the general rights to consultation. Yet this point does not appear in the draft regulations proposed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The TUC wants the regulations and guidance to state that employers must consult employees and their safety representatives before a decision is made on whether the weekly exposure level is appropriate.

The TUC is also concerned to ensure that the proposals are accompanied by a strategy for enforcing the regulations. Many employers fail to comply with the existing regulations, so the TUC wants the HSE and local authorities to be more vigorous in their enforcement of these important protective measures.