Inadequate protection against workplace noise

Noise is among the most common risk factors in the working environment. The main sources of noise are machines, technical equipment and technological processes; however, noise also present in manual work, and in device and materials handling. In 2005, the National Labour Inspectorate undertook several initiatives within the framework of a campaign aimed at the protection of employees. Among other aspects, the inspection examined noise at the workplace and its elimination.

Nature of inspection

In 2005, the Slovakian National Labour Inspectorate (Národný inšpektorát práce, NIP) conducted a nationwide inspection aimed at identifying the level of compliance with conditions of occupational safety and health (OSH), including measures for the elimination or reduction of risk originating from noise in the working environment. The employer’s obligations are stipulated mainly by Act No. 330/1996 Coll. on occupational safety and health (as amended later), Act No. 272/1994 Coll. on human health protection (as amended later), as well as the governmental Ordinance No. 40/2002 Coll. on the protection of health against noise and vibrations, and other related regulations.

The inspections were carried out at selected workplaces in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the wood-processing, metal and metal-processing, chemicals and textiles sectors. NIP visited a total of 136 companies and 19 workplace controls were coordinated with the state health surveillance authorities.

In total, the companies surveyed employed 32,455 workers, of whom 7,902 were women, representing 24% of all employees. In these enterprises, 6,695 employees worked under conditions ranked in category 3 of hazardous work, of whom 983 were women, and 871 employees worked under conditions ranked in category 4 of hazardous work, of whom 13 were women. Such an environment exceeds the highest limit value of the normal level of exposure to noise, in other words the highest permitted noise level; currently, the upper exposure threshold equals 85 dB(A) or A-weighted decibels.

Results of inspection

In total, as many as 1,092 health and safety infringements were detected, of which 82 cases were considered as serious. The most frequent matters arising were the following:

• In the field of OSH management, 300 shortcomings were detected, most of which pertained to irregular information flow to employees about legal and other regulations for ensuring OSH. For example, training was not provided or training packs were not filed properly. Cases also emerged where employers did not implement risk assessment for the operation of individual machines, and reviews of risks in respect of noise were not prepared. Moreover, employees did not receive any information about results of noise measurements and about preventive and protection measures; in particular, the employers did not outline safe working methods, including protection against noise.

• In the area of personal protective equipment (PPE), the inspectors counted 115 breaches of regulations. In most cases, a list for the provision of PPE was missing, or its specifications did not match the actual conditions of the particular organisation. In some cases, certificates on meeting the technical requirements for the PPE were missing; furthermore, an insufficient provision of PPE was identified. Moreover, the inspection uncovered cases where the employees themselves did not use the PPE provided to protect their hearing.

• In relation to the working environment, 67 violations were recorded, most of them concerning insufficient warning notices in workplaces with noise hazard, and inadequate provision of information about the risk of noise and about an efficient protection and prevention against it. However, the inspectors also found cases where the noise exposure limits were exceeded and employers did not take relevant measures regarding regulations; in particular, the employers did not ensure noise measurements at the workplace at set intervals.

• In terms of work organisation, the inspectors detected 38 infringements. In general, evidence and lists of employees working in a noisy environment who were entitled to a health assessment were lacking.

Commentary

In addition to the aforementioned OSH shortcomings in respect of employee protection against noise exposure, employers are not properly applying the technical measures which could eliminate or reduce the level of noise at source, nor are they undertaking appropriate construction design and work organisation to reduce employees’ exposure to noise. In most cases, employers ensure their employees’ protection against noise by provision of personal equipment for hearing protection, a measure which should be used rather as a last resort. A further problem is insufficient risk assessment in terms of the actual conditions that workers are exposed to in the workplace.

Therefore, further to the inspection, NIP needs to place considerable emphasis not only on controlling and monitoring adherence to the valid OSH regulations but also on information and consulting services aimed at improving employees’ working conditions in relation to noise levels.

Slávka Matulová, Institute for Labour and Family Research