Hearing checks for employees exposed to workplace noise. We’ll help you plan a practical surveillance programme around your risks, locations and working patterns.
Audiometric testing can help identify changes in an employee’s hearing over time. As part of a noise health surveillance programme, it gives you information to act on and helps you review whether your noise controls are protecting people.
Health surveillance does not replace the need to control noise at source. It provides useful feedback on whether your existing controls are protecting employees as intended.
Detect possible changes early and consider appropriate follow-up.
Use trend information to help assess hearing protection and noise-control arrangements.
Give employees appropriate information, advice and follow-up where needed.
Maintain a planned hearing-surveillance programme for relevant exposed roles.
Employers must provide hearing health surveillance for employees likely to be regularly exposed above the upper noise exposure action values, or who are at risk for another reason. Those values are 85 dB(A) for daily or weekly personal exposure and 137 dB(C) for peak sound pressure. Your noise risk assessment is the starting point for deciding who should be included.
If you’re unsure which roles need testing, we can help you review the information you have and plan an appropriate programme.
The Upper Exposure Action Values are:
A daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 85 dB(A).
A peak sound pressure of 137 dB(C).
Common work environments:
Manufacturing and production
Engineering and fabrication
Construction and infrastructure
Warehousing and logistics
Food processing
Utilities and heavy industry
Workshops and maintenance teams
We arrange hearing tests in suitable conditions and explain the process to employees. Results can be compared with earlier tests to help identify changes that may need advice, further assessment or a review of workplace controls.hse+1
Where possible, start with a baseline test before exposure. HSE guidance then usually recommends annual checks for the first two years, followed by checks every three years; some employees may need more frequent testing.
Our clinicians and technicians guide employees through the process, make sure testing arrangements are suitable and consider results in the context of the individual’s role, exposure and relevant history.
We can arrange audiometric testing on site, through mobile medical units or at local clinics. We’ll help you choose a delivery approach that suits your locations, shift patterns and the number of employees who need checks.
Planned workplace sessions that reduce employee travel and scheduling disruption.
Flexible testing for busy, remote or multi-site operations.
Accessible local options for dispersed employees.
Employees receive their results and any relevant advice. Employers receive on-the-day fitness certificates, along with appropriate health-surveillance outcomes and workplace recommendations, without access to confidential clinical records. We can also help you understand whether findings point to a need for follow-up or a review of noise controls.
What you receive
Clear employee outcomes and appropriate next-step information
Relevant fitness-for-work or fitness-for-exposure status
Practical recommendations where workplace action may be needed
Management reporting to support trend review and programme oversight
Documentation that supports health-surveillance record-keeping and audit readiness
If your workforce has more than one workplace-health risk, audiometry can be planned alongside other relevant assessments. A coordinated programme can reduce administration, simplify scheduling and make it easier to manage surveillance across sites.
Detect possible changes early and consider appropriate follow-up.
Use trend information to help assess hearing protection and noise-control arrangements.
Give employees appropriate information, advice and follow-up where needed.
Maintain a planned hearing-surveillance programme for relevant exposed roles.
Whether you’re setting up testing for the first time or reviewing an existing programme, tell us about your workforce, noise exposures and sites. We’ll help you work out a practical next step.
Noise health surveillance is a programme of regular hearing checks for employees exposed to hazardous workplace noise. Audiometric testing measures hearing thresholds and can help identify early signs of noise-induced hearing loss.
Employees may need hearing surveillance where they are regularly exposed to hazardous noise or where a noise risk assessment identifies a risk to hearing health. This commonly includes people working around noisy plant, machinery, tools, equipment or processes.
Employers must provide health surveillance when workers are regularly exposed at or above the Upper Exposure Action Values of 85 dB(A) daily or weekly exposure, or 137 dB(C) peak sound pressure. It may also be appropriate in other circumstances identified through the risk assessment.hse.gov+2
HSE guidance recommends a baseline hearing check before exposure to hazardous noise, or as soon as possible after initial exposure. This is normally followed by annual testing for the first two years, then testing at three-yearly intervals. More frequent testing may be appropriate where hearing changes are identified or the risk of hearing damage is high.
Testing usually includes a short health and exposure questionnaire, followed by a pure-tone hearing test in appropriate conditions using calibrated equipment. Results may be compared against earlier tests to identify significant changes over time.
If results indicate possible work-related hearing changes or another concern, an occupational health professional will consider the appropriate next steps. This may include further assessment, closer monitoring, referral, and review of noise controls or hearing protection arrangements.
Clarity provides audiometric testing nationwide through on-site clinics, mobile medical units and local clinic appointments. We will help you choose a delivery method that suits your locations, shift patterns and workforce availability.
Yes. Audiometric information is handled under clinical-governance and data-protection arrangements. Employees receive their own results, while managers receive appropriate fitness and workplace-action information rather than full medical records.
Tell us a little about your workforce and what you need help with. We’ll call you back to talk through your options and the most practical way to deliver them.
Tell us your workforce size, locations and main risks. We’ll recommend a practical delivery model and respond within one working day.
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