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Don't wait until the damage is done: protect workers from noise and vibration
Noise and vibration at work can cause permanent harm, but much of this is preventable.
Each year, around 15,000 workers experience hearing problems caused or made worse by work, while an estimated 1 in 5 workers are exposed to harmful levels of noise at work.
Workers may not always realise they're being harmed until symptoms appear. By then, some damage may already be permanent.
Excessive noise can cause hearing loss and tinnitus, while regular exposure to hand-arm vibration can cause hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and carpal tunnel syndrome. These conditions can have a lasting impact on workers' health and their ability to carry out everyday activities.
To help employers take action, HSE has launched a new noise and vibration campaign, built around 3 simple steps:
Assess
Identify who may be exposed, understand the risks and assess how exposure can be reduced.
Control
Reduce exposure at source through effective control measures, equipment selection, maintenance and safer ways of working.
Protect
Where risks remain, provide suitable protection, health surveillance where required, and the information, instruction and training workers need.
Taking action early can prevent permanent, life-changing health conditions and help employers meet their legal duties.
Whatever sector you work in, take action now to keep your workers safe and protected:
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