subject: Compliance With Noise Meter Hire [print this page] Compliance With Noise Meter Hire Compliance With Noise Meter Hire
As an employer you are legally responsible for the health and safety of your employees whilst they are at work. This means you must prevent them from harm in all reasonably practicable ways such as providing training, safety equipment and limiting their exposure to harmful substances or sound levels. Occupational noise is a major issue in manufacturing, mining and construction and occupational deafness is very common in the UK. Ever increasing awareness amongst employers and employees has led to a decrease in numbers of affected people, but there is still some way to go.
Noise meter hire services are offered by many manufacturers of occupational noise measurement equipment, as well as by independent companies who can offer measurement equipment from a variety of manufacturers. The service allows for short term rental of complete noise measurement kits.
In order to keep up with their responsibility to assess and manage risk posed by noise in the workplace, managers should ensure that noise levels are monitored regularly in the workplace. However, unlike dedicated occupational noise health and safety professionals, who will monitor sound on a highly regular basis, managers and dedicated health and safety officers might not require the use of sound meters on a regular basis. For such people noise meter hire tends to be preferable to purchasing the equipment because of the obvious cost implications. As well as the reduced cost of hiring the equipment, users benefit from technical back up and the knowledge that the monitor they use will have been well cared for and regularly serviced. It will also come as part of a full noise measurement kit with all the necessary software ready and included.
Further advantages include the fact that noise meter hire negates concerns regarding recalibration, maintenance, servicing and updating the device, all of which can be costly.
Of course, noise meter hire won't be for everyone. Some companies will find that they require the use of the devices often enough to justify buying their own equipment and it is a good idea to think carefully whether buying or hiring is the right choice.
Regardless of whether a company hires or buys their sound measurement equipment, compliance with noise at work regulations remains the most important thing. Training is available on the matter, often from the very companies that offer noise meter hire or sales.
