§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of persons who are currently at risk of harmful effect upon their hearing as a consequence of noise within their occupational environment.
§ Mr. John GrantThe chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that the "Code of Practice for Reducing the Exposure of Employed Persons to Noise" contains guidance on levels of occupational noise exposure which are regarded as a serious hazard to hearing. This code, whilst recognising that because of the large inherent variations of susceptibility between individuals these levels are not in themselves guaranteed to remove all risk of damage, recommends an upper limit of 90 dB(A) for eight hours per day, or an equivalent exposure, for workers not wearing ear protection.
The most recent official estimate, published in 1975 is that out of approximately 6.4 million workers in manufacturing industry subject to the Factories Act, some 590,000 were exposed to noise of 90 dB(A) or more for more than six hours per day, and a further 570.000 for at least some of the time.
Details of the methods by which this estimate was arrived at are contained in 891W the annual report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Factories for 1974.
No figures are yet available for other industries.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Employment if public servants or other employees who work at events of amplified mustical entertainment are provided with or required to wear protective equipment in order to meet the risk of damage to hearing.
§ Mr. John GrantThe chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informed me that the "Code of Practice for Reducing the Exposure of Employed Persons to Noise" contains guidance on levels of occupational noise exposure which arc regarded as a serious hazard to hearing. The recommendation is an upper limit of 90 dB(A) for eight hours per day, or an equivalent exposure, unless the employer provides suitable car protectors; the code also states that employees should wear ear protectors where provided. This is used by inspectors in interpreting the requirements of section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act.
The Leeds Polytechnic is carrying out a survey on behalf of the Noise Advisory Council, on attendance patterns and noise levels in discotheques and other similar places. The results are not expected to be available until January 1979 but it seems unlikely on the information available at present that public employees, in the course of their work, would need to be present long enough to be placed at serious risk.
But inspectors of factories are supplied with glass down from which temporary disposable ear plugs can be made and are instructed to use them whenever exposed to sound levels thought to exceed 90dB(A).