Translation of "Risque de handicap auditif provoqué par le bruit " (French → English) :

1. If the risks arising from exposure to noise cannot be prevented by other means, appropriate, properly fitting individual hearing protectors shall be made available to workers and used by them in accordance with the provisions of Council Directive 89/656/EEC of 30 November 1989 on the minimum health and safety requirements for the use by workers of personal protective equipment at the workplace (third individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)(14) and Article 13(2) of Directive 89/391/EEC and under the conditions set out below:

(8) Current scientific knowledge of the effects which exposure to noise may have on health and safety is not sufficient to enable precise exposure levels covering all risks to health and safety, especially as regards the effects of noise other than those of an auditory nature, to be set.

1. If the risks arising from exposure to noise cannot be prevented by other means, appropriate, properly fitting individual hearing protectors shall be made available to workers and used by them in accordance with the provisions of Council Directive 89/656/EEC of 30 November 1989 on the minimum health and safety requirements for the use by workers of personal protective equipment at the workplace (third individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) and Article 13(2) of Directive 89/391/EEC and under the conditions set out below:

Article 8 of the common position is ambiguous on this point; it states that 'the employer shall ensure that workers (.) receive information and training relating to risks resulting from exposure to noise concerning, in particular: (.) training in the correct use of hearing protectors'.

As the assessment of the level of exposure to noise takes account of the attenuation provided by individual hearing protectors for the purposes of applying exposure limit values, it is important that the employer pay particular attention, when making a risk assessment, to the specific opportunities for using such protectors and their actual effectiveness.

2. Recalls that the World Health Organisation has clearly identified the health risks linked to exposure to noise: direct hearing damage, stress-related damage and general lowering of the quality of life, all of which, in the case of night-time exposure to noise, are exacerbated by loss of sleep;