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Approximately 10 million people in the uk suffer from some form of hearing loss. For many this could be genetic, or a result of an infection or injury, but for a large number of people their hearing loss is work related.

Many people forget that a large number of British people still work, or have worked, in very noisy environments such as factories or shipyards. These people face the ever present danger of long term noise exposure that could lead to profound hearing loss in years to come. Fortunately however, the law is on their side and requires that all employers provide suitable hearing protection for all employees in noisy areas.

The Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) 1974 and its subsequent regulations, require that all employers carry out regular risk assessments, during which excessive noise should be identified as a hazard. The HASAWA is the main article of legislation that governs health and safety standards at work, and gives the the health and safety executive and other authorities the power to enforce those standards.

During the risk assessment, the employer would need to get a competent person to inspect the workplace for any and all hazards, including noise levels, and judge its hazard level. From this, the employer needs to create an action plan to deal with the hazards. If the noise level is deemed hazardous, then the first port of call for the employer would be to try and reduce the noise level through any means necessary, such as moving equipment, quieter equipment or sound proofing. If the noise cannot be sufficiently eliminated then the final option is to provide Personal Protective Equipment or 'PPE'. Under the PPE regulations 1992, all PPE (in this case ear defenders) must be provided by the employer at no charge to the employee. The PPE must fit properly and be able to reduce the hazard to a safe level. The employer is also responsible for ensuring that all employees who need ear defenders, wear them. Failure to provide appropriate PPE can result in the employer facing action by the Health & Safety Executive and severe fines that can potentially far outweigh the cost of supplying the PPE in the first place.

Many types of ear defenders are available, at varying prices, but the type your employer provides will be based upon the unique workplace requirements. They should at the very least reduce noise levels to below 85dB at the ear, but not reduce it to the point that to you are unaware of what is going on around you. They must also be able to be worn properly in conjunction with other PPE you need to wear, such as hard hats. By law, the cost of PPE is not a mitigating factor. As such, your employer has to provide the right level of protection, and cannot refuse to do so just because it my be costly.