Noise at work action values explained
Three numbers decide what you must do about workplace noise: 80, 85 and 87 dB. This guide explains what occupational noise exposure actually means, what each value is, what changes at each level, and how the control hierarchy, hearing protection and health surveillance fit together.
What occupational noise exposure means
Occupational noise exposure is not simply "how loud is it right now". It is a combination of the sound level and how long a person is exposed, and it is the accumulated daily dose that damages hearing. Regular exposure to high noise causes gradual, permanent noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus, which develop slowly and are usually irreversible by the time they are noticed. A one-off very loud event (a peak) can also cause immediate damage, which is why the regulations set both averaged levels and separate peak limits. As a rough guide, if people have to raise their voices to talk at about two metres apart, noise may be around a level worth assessing.
The three values
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (Great Britain; the Control of Noise at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 in Northern Ireland) set three levels, measured as daily or weekly personal noise exposure, each with a separate peak sound-pressure figure:
| Value | Daily/weekly | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| Lower action value | 80 dB(A) | 135 dB(C) |
| Upper action value | 85 dB(A) | 137 dB(C) |
| Exposure limit value | 87 dB(A) | 140 dB(C) |
The exposure limit value accounts for any hearing protection worn; the two action values do not, they are measured on the noise reaching the worker regardless of protection. That distinction matters: you cannot rely on earplugs to bring you under an action value.
Daily and weekly exposure
Because exposure combines level and time, the regulations express it as a personal daily exposure normalised to eight hours (LEP,d), or a weekly average (LEP,w) where daily exposure varies a lot between days, for example someone who uses a loud tool heavily on two days and not at all on the others. This is why two very different jobs can reach the same action value: a short burst of very loud work and a whole shift of moderately loud work can both add up to 85 dB.
What changes at each level
At the lower action value (80 dB): assess the risk, give workers information and training about the risks and how to minimise them, and make suitable hearing protection available to those who ask for it.
At the upper action value (85 dB): the duties step up. Reduce noise exposure so far as is reasonably practicable by means other than hearing protection (engineering and organisational controls first); establish and mark hearing-protection zones where wearing protection is mandatory; provide hearing protection and make sure it is used and maintained; and provide health surveillance (audiometry) for those at risk.
The exposure limit value (87 dB) must not be exceeded, taking account of the protection worn. If it is exceeded, reduce exposure below it immediately, find out why it happened, and review your controls so it does not recur.
Controlling noise at source
The regulations require you to tackle noise using the hierarchy of control, with hearing protection as a last line of defence, not the first move. In order of preference: eliminate the noisy process where you can; substitute quieter equipment or methods; apply engineering controls (damping, enclosure, silencers, isolation, maintenance); use organisational controls (limiting time in noisy areas, distancing people from the source, low-noise purchasing policies); and only then rely on hearing protection to deal with the residual risk. Designing noise out is more reliable than depending on every worker wearing earplugs correctly for their whole shift.
Hearing protection and hearing-protection zones
Where hearing protection is needed, it has to be suitable for the noise and the work, compatible with other PPE, correctly fitted and actually worn. Over-protection can be a problem too, protectors that cut too much noise can leave workers isolated from warnings and speech, so the aim is to bring exposure to a safe level, not to the lowest possible. At and above the upper action value you must designate hearing-protection zones, mark them with the correct signage, and ensure everyone entering wears protection.
Information, instruction and training
Workers exposed at or above the lower action value must be given information and training covering the risk to hearing, the action and limit values, the results of the risk assessment, how to use and look after hearing protection, how to report defects, and their role in health surveillance. People who understand why the controls matter are far more likely to use them properly.
Health surveillance and audiometry
Health surveillance for noise normally means audiometry (hearing checks) for workers who are at risk, usually those regularly exposed at or above the upper action value, or otherwise particularly at risk. Its purpose is to detect early changes in hearing so that action can be taken before serious loss develops. HSE's guidance is risk-based and does not set a single universal timetable that applies to every workplace, so we deliberately do not state a fixed "every X months/years" interval as if it were the law, the appropriate frequency follows the risk and the programme. The employer keeps a health record, while the detailed audiogram results are confidential clinical information held by the occupational-health provider. When to bring workers into surveillance in the first place is covered in when is health surveillance required.
Where it fits with your risk assessment
Noise sits within your wider duty to assess and control workplace risk. A noise assessment identifies who is exposed and to what, drives the controls, and sets the review triggers, it should feed your general risk assessment and the training your workforce receives. See also health and safety training requirements.
Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The values and duties above apply in Great Britain under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Northern Ireland has its own equivalent, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, enforced by HSENI. The figures and approach are the same, but cite the correct jurisdiction.
Keep noise assessments and surveillance in order
Complys holds your noise risk assessments and records together, and tracks the health-surveillance recalls that noise exposure requires for those at risk, with reminders and an audit trail. The audiometry and any clinical judgement stay with occupational-health professionals; Complys keeps the records and the schedule.
Noise at work software →FAQs
What are the noise action values?
Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005: the lower exposure action value is a daily or weekly exposure of 80 dB (with a peak of 135 dB); the upper exposure action value is 85 dB (peak 137 dB); and the exposure limit value is 87 dB (peak 140 dB). The exposure limit value takes account of any hearing protection worn; the action values do not.
What must I do at each level?
At the lower value (80 dB): assess the risk, provide information and training, and make hearing protection available on request. At the upper value (85 dB): reduce exposure so far as reasonably practicable by means other than hearing protection, establish hearing-protection zones, ensure protection is worn, and provide health surveillance (audiometry) for those at risk. The exposure limit value (87 dB) must not be exceeded.
Is 85 dB the point where I need hearing protection?
You must ensure hearing protection is provided and worn from the upper action value (85 dB), and make it available on request from the lower value (80 dB). But hearing protection is a last line of defence, at the upper value you must first reduce noise by other means, such as quieter equipment and engineering controls, so far as is reasonably practicable.
How is daily exposure worked out?
Personal daily noise exposure combines how loud the noise is with how long the person is exposed, expressed over a standard eight-hour day (a weekly figure can be used where exposure varies markedly between days). So a very loud task for a short time and a moderately loud task all day can both reach an action value.
Which regulations apply?
In Great Britain, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005; in Northern Ireland, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006.
Related: what is HAVS, when is health surveillance required, what is a risk assessment, and noise at work software. General information, not legal advice.