Dealing with noise on operational sites

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Conference
2021 Virtual Special Water, Enviroment & Transport Conference
Date
8 April 2021
Decision
Carried

2021 Water, Environment and Transport Service Group Conference notes that UNISON members employed in some sectors of our Service Group experience hearing difficulties during and post-employment caused through noise on operational sites particularly in Water.

Pumping stations are particularly noisy but all areas of plant where noise exceeds permissible limits should (but often don�t) have warning signs instructing of the necessary mandatory use of ear protection.

Often, ear defenders don�t constitute part of PPE and where this occurs, disposable ear plug dispensers should be routinely provided and used.

As the pandemic has demonstrated, PPE is not always as readily available as it should be and has been in the past so this issue post COVID is particularly pertinent.

Regular reviews of such sites are necessary to ensure noise levels haven�t changed and that appropriate signage is maintained as well as registers created and updated.

This Conference calls on the Service Group Executive to work with UNISON�s National Health and Safety unit to develop a �best practice� toolkit in this regard to benefit the Health, Safety and Wellbeing of UNISON members both whilst working and in later life.