Posted By Paul Leadbetter Chris The risk to hearing from a maximum of 2 minutes per day exposure to 90 dB(A) is very low. However, if the area is marked as a hearing protection zone, anyone entering or passing through must wear hearing protection as the sign used is a mandatory one. Can you move the hearing protection zone limits to exclude the route through the area? Paul

Posted By Stuff4blokes Boh, this is one of those areas of H&S practice that can create confusion and misunderstanding. Reg 7 of the UK Noise Regs requires the creation of Hearing Protection Zones and restricting access where practicable (note the absence of reasonable) and justified, the duty to enforce wearing PPE is "reasonably practicable" It can be argued that transient exposure whilst reaching a quieter workplace with short exposure is sufficiently low risk to make it unreasonable to enforce noise PPE. The alternative view is that as the exposed workforce are obliged to work in uncomfortable and restricting PPE, all others in the area should "set an example". Real difficulty arises when the quiet area worker needs to work in the noisy area for short periods eg to adjust equipment or discuss with colleagues. It comes down to management in the end. My personal preferred view is to find ways to avoid PPE whenever it can safely be done and I have a special personal dislike of hearing protection. As a safety consultant I have to use hearing protection from time to time, mainly to comply with "the factory rules" and only rarely to protect against a significant exposure. This is often nothing to do with risk and everything to do with being seen to do the right thing. I have also once been required to abandon my own personal moulded set of ears and use more visible disposable plugs so that the factory norm could be observed, regardless of the reduced protection that they provided.