HC Deb 31 March 1969 vol 781 cc13-4
11. Mr. Archer

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what progress has been made in her consideration of action to reduce injury to health from excessive noise in factories.

Mr. Fernyhough

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Oakes) on 29th January. The report of the survey on occupational deafness carried out by the Medical Research Council and the National Physical Laboratory to which I referred has been received. It is now being studied to consider whether it provides an adequate basis for legislation.

Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate continues to provide advice to industry on methods of noise reduction; the specialist staff has been strengthened for this purpose, a number of Inspectors throughout the divisions have been equipped with measuring instruments and selected Inspectors given specialised training.—[Vol. 776, c. 345–6.]

Mr. Archer

Since every week that passes means further injury to many employees, and since there has been a great deal of technical progress on such matters as baffling noise and changing its pitch, will my hon. Friend get on with protecting employees before the present generation is damaged?

Mr. Fernyhough

We are anxious to get on with it, and I hope that my hon. Friend will not think that nothing has been done about it. As a matter of fact, some of the best firms in the country are already taking adequate precautions to protect their employees and, through the Inspectorate, we are doing all that we can to bring what might be called the backward employers up to the standards of the best in this respect. In addition, we are getting industry to do what it can, when producing machinery, in the way of baffling and reducing noise.

Mr. R. Carr

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind, in considering this very important matter, that the dangers and damage resulting from noise go far beyond the causing of occupational deafness?

Mr. Fernyhough

Yes, we are very well aware of that, and I am sure that those circumstances will be taken into account when we frame our legislation.