Category A
Regulations and compliance
UK Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employer duties, action values, hearing protection zones and noise risk assessment fundamentals.
Guidance articles
UK workplace noise knowledge centre
Workplace Noise Resources
Practical UK guidance on occupational noise exposure, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, personal noise dosimetry, hearing protection and workplace noise control — organised so employers and health and safety professionals can find what they need quickly.
Regulatory
CNWR 2005 context
Practical
Real workplace focus
UK-wide
Industry guidance
Workplace noise knowledge centre
Regulations · exposure · dosimetry · controls
About this centre
A structured guide to workplace noise
The Workplace Noise Resources centre organises practical guidance on UK occupational noise into clearly defined topics — covering regulations, exposure assessment, personal dosimetry, hearing protection, industrial noise control and occupational hygiene.
General guidance is not the same as a workplace noise assessment. Decisions about action values, hearing protection zones or engineering controls should be based on real exposure data and actual work patterns. The resources here are intended to inform those decisions — and to help internal teams ask the right questions — but they do not replace competent, site-specific assessment.
Regulatory content is provided as general guidance and is not legal advice. Where compliance, employee protection or HSE engagement decisions need to be made, professional assessment should be sought.
Featured guidance
Featured workplace noise guidance
Start with these in-depth UK workplace-noise guides covering regulations, action values, dosimetry and measurement methodology.
Regulations & complianceRegulatory overview
Noise at Work Regulations Explained
A practical walk-through of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employer duties and how the framework applies to real workplaces.
Read guideRegulations & complianceAction-value interpretation
Understanding Noise Action Values
How the lower and upper exposure action values and the exposure limit value translate into day-to-day decisions on assessment, controls and hearing protection.
Read guidePersonal dosimetryMethod overview
What Is Personal Noise Dosimetry?
When dosimetry is appropriate, how it is run, what results look like and how they are interpreted against UK action values.
Read guideExposure & measurementMeasurement methodology
How Workplace Noise Is Measured
An overview of area, task and personal measurement strategies, calibration and the way readings are turned into employee exposure.
Read guideResource categories
Browse by topic
Each category groups our published guidance articles alongside the service pages that cover the topic in depth.
Category B
Exposure and measurement
How workplace noise is measured, how readings become employee exposure, daily and weekly LEX,8h interpretation and peak / impact noise.
Guidance articles
Category C
Personal dosimetry
Personal noise dosimetry as a tool for variable, mobile and multi-task work — full-shift and task-based monitoring, results, and common errors.
Guidance articles
Category D
Hearing protection
Hearing protection selection, the balance between under- and over-protection, ear plug versus ear defender choices and hearing protection zones.
Guidance articles
Category E
Noise control
Noise control in industrial environments — engineering controls, factory noise reduction priorities and acoustic treatment within the workplace.
Guidance articles
Category F
Occupational hygiene
Planning representative monitoring, similar exposure groups, occupational noise surveys and the review of existing workplace noise assessments. Site-specific support is delivered through our occupational hygiene noise services.
Start with the right service
Start with the right workplace-noise service
Choose the service that matches the question you need answered. Each links to a detailed UK workplace-noise service page.
Workplace Noise Surveys
Use when an organisation needs a comprehensive workplace noise survey covering area, task and worker exposure.
Visit pageWorkplace Noise Monitoring
Use when ongoing measurement of sound levels and exposure is needed across changing production conditions.
Visit pageNoise Exposure Assessment
Use when employee LEX,8h, weekly exposure and peak noise need to be assessed against UK action values.
Visit pagePersonal Noise Dosimetry
Use when employees are mobile, multi-task or work across shifts where area measurement alone is not representative.
Visit pageNoise at Work Regulations
Use to understand employer duties, action values and risk-assessment expectations under the 2005 Regulations.
Visit pageHearing Protection Assessment
Use when hearing protection selection, attenuation review, PPE compatibility or fit need to be evaluated.
Visit pageFactory Noise Surveys
Use for production-line machinery measurement, manufacturing exposure and factory noise mapping.
Visit pageWorkplace Acoustic Surveys
Use when reverberation, sound distribution, communication or acoustic-control options need assessment.
Visit pageOccupational Hygiene Noise Services
Use for an integrated occupational hygiene approach combining survey, dosimetry, controls and review.
Visit pagePopular questions
Popular workplace-noise questions
Do we need a workplace noise survey?
A noise risk assessment is required wherever workers are likely to be exposed at or above the lower action value, or where there is reason to believe noise may harm health. See workplace noise surveys for the typical scope.
Is one decibel reading enough?
A single sound-level reading is rarely sufficient. Workplace noise varies with tasks, machinery cycles and time. Representative measurement — and often personal noise dosimetry — is needed to characterise exposure.
When should personal dosimetry be used?
Dosimetry is most useful where workers are mobile, where tasks and exposure vary, or where area measurement cannot reasonably represent a shift. See personal noise dosimetry.
What are the lower and upper action values?
The lower exposure action value is 80 dB(A) LEX,8h (peak 135 dB(C)) and the upper is 85 dB(A) LEX,8h (peak 137 dB(C)). Full duties are set out on the noise at work regulations page.
Is hearing protection enough?
Hearing protection should be a control of last resort, after engineering and organisational controls. Selection, attenuation, fit and use all matter — covered on the hearing protection assessment page.
When should a noise assessment be reviewed?
HSE guidance suggests reviewing at least every two years, and sooner after machinery, process or layout changes. See occupational hygiene noise services for review and reassessment support.
Workplace types
Guidance for different workplace types
Workplace noise risk looks different in each sector. The resources centre is organised so that guidance and the most relevant services are easy to find.
Factories and manufacturing
Production lines, machinery cycles, impact processes and mobile operators — see factory noise surveys and exposure assessment.
Engineering workshops
Mixed tooling, fabrication, grinding and assembly noise typically need representative task-based and personal measurement.
Warehouses and logistics
Materials handling, MHE, conveyors and racking environments — area acoustics and shift-based exposure are often key.
Construction
Tool, plant and site-condition variability typically calls for task-based measurement and tight hearing-protection review.
Plant and maintenance environments
Compressed air, pumps, fans, engines and motors create persistent and peak noise that often benefits from engineering controls.
Mixed commercial and industrial workplaces
Workshop, warehouse and office environments combined — see workplace acoustic surveys for combined assessment.
See factory noise surveys, workplace acoustic surveys, workplace noise monitoring and occupational hygiene noise services for sector-relevant detail.
Resource disclaimer
The Workplace Noise Resources centre provides general occupational-noise guidance. It is not legal or medical advice. Site-specific duties under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 depend on the actual work, measured exposure and risk at each workplace. Professional assessment may be required to make compliance and employee-protection decisions.
FAQ
Workplace Noise Resources FAQs
What guidance is available in the Workplace Noise Resources centre?+
The resources centre brings together practical UK guidance on workplace noise — covering the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, exposure assessment and LEX,8h, personal noise dosimetry, hearing protection selection and review, industrial noise control and occupational hygiene planning. The aim is to help employers, health and safety teams and competent persons interpret noise issues in the context of real work.
Is the guidance specific to UK workplace-noise law?+
Yes. The guidance is written for UK organisations and references the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, associated HSE guidance and standard UK measurement practice. Concepts such as exposure action values, LEX,8h, hearing protection zones and competent assessment are presented in their UK regulatory context.
Can the resources replace a workplace noise assessment?+
No. The resources centre is general guidance and does not replace a site-specific workplace noise assessment. Employer duties under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require competent assessment that reflects the actual tasks, machinery, exposure and controls at the workplace. The resources are intended to support, not substitute, that assessment.
Where can I find information about noise action values?+
Information about the lower and upper exposure action values, the exposure limit value and associated employer duties is set out on the noise at work regulations page. The resources centre signposts to that page from the regulations and compliance category and from the popular questions section.
Where can I learn about personal noise dosimetry?+
Personal noise dosimetry — including when it adds value, how it is run and how results are interpreted — is covered on the personal noise dosimetry service page. The resources centre links to that page from the dosimetry category and lists planned guidance articles that will explore specific dosimetry topics in more depth as they are published.
Does the resource centre cover hearing protection?+
Yes. Hearing protection topics — including selection against measured exposure, SNR and HML attenuation methods, under- and over-protection, ear plug versus ear defender choices, PPE compatibility, fit and hearing protection zones — are covered on the hearing protection assessment page and signposted from the hearing protection category in the resources centre.
How can I get a workplace noise survey preparation checklist?+
Site, process and personnel information required ahead of a workplace noise survey can be discussed directly with our team via the contact page. We tailor the preparation brief to the workplace, machinery and shift pattern involved rather than relying on generic templates.
How do I arrange site-specific support?+
Site-specific workplace noise support — including surveys, exposure assessment, personal dosimetry, hearing protection review and occupational hygiene programmes — can be arranged through the contact page. Direct email and phone details are also provided at the foot of the resources centre.
Are the resources suitable for health and safety managers?+
Yes. The guidance is written for employers, health and safety managers, SHEQ managers, occupational hygienists, facilities and operations managers, engineering managers and competent persons responsible for noise risk. Where relevant, articles will be cross-linked from the resources centre to the supporting service pages so technical depth can be added on demand.
Does the guidance apply to factories and warehouses?+
Yes. The resources centre includes guidance for factories and manufacturing, engineering workshops, warehouses and logistics, construction, plant and maintenance environments and mixed commercial and industrial workplaces. Specific service pages for factory noise surveys, workplace acoustic surveys and occupational hygiene noise services provide additional context for these sectors.
Need Site-Specific Workplace Noise Advice?
Speak to a UK workplace-noise specialist about a site-specific survey, dosimetry programme, hearing protection review or occupational hygiene support. We respond to most enquiries the same working day.