Posted By Dominic Smyth Rather than moving the sounder could you move the desk?

Posted By Alan Hoskins Can't she just go for a coffee???

Posted By cara Alan, that's what the landlord suggested and that would be fine if they sounded the alarms at the same time every week but they don't, it's a large building and each area is tested separately - so it would be impossible to issue warnings for each area.

Posted By Alan Hoskins I should have been a landlord then, Cara...

Posted By Luke. If there is 8 desks in the area... surely the 86dba registering at her ear level, would still be around 80dba-85dba at the other desks? Do they complain? I agree with other comments, inform her of the test and let her get a coffee... that's reasonably practicable!

Posted By TonyB Cara, Surely the landlord must give some warning that they are going to test the alarms, so you can warn your staff that it going to be tested. If he/she doesn't and it goes off unannounced then for every test you must have to evacuate the building or do you just have people sitting around ignoring the alarm whenever it does off! (If leaving the desk at unplanned times is the problem - what about ear plugs - put in just before the test?) TonyB

Posted By Bob Youel pop a set of ear defenders on the desk - she can pop them on

Posted By Lee Mac There were some sensible suggestions above re: actually reducing the noise setting of the alarm in this particular office which is one that I would second, coffee break, ear plugs. As a previous poster mentions it would do no harm to review your occ, health programme- I would definitley get this person checked out sooner rather than later. Then have your occupational health prof furnish you with their recommendations for this drill. If you do nothing as Crim mentions you will definitely have a compensation to deal with. Regards Lee

Posted By Crim The point about not knowing if it is a test or otherwise is a very good one. If employees get used to remaining in their seats every time the alarm sounds they just might do the same for a real fire alarm. Either evacuate each time the alarm sounds unannounced, or get advanced notice of a test. I think the first might bring on the second?

Posted By Vince Hearn Dip2.OSH CMIOSH It is my understanding that sounders should be set at 5dB above the ambient noise level? 81dB for an office environment seems to be very high. It is the employer's responsibility to reduce noise to a level as low as reasonably practicable (notwithstanding the Action Levels) Regards Vince

Posted By Toe Crim How do you conclude a compensation claim may be on its way soon? It is highly likely that the daily personal exposure limit (LEP,d), and peak sound pressure for this person is below the legal limit. I can just see the £ signs in the eyes of the claim,s people as millions of people that are subjected to fire alarm testing every week across the country make their claim.

Posted By martinw Toe it only takes a person to convince a doctor that their hearing has been damaged by sitting below a fire alarm week in week out with nothing having been done about it done about it despite complaining. Same person goes to a lawyer who gets a report from the doctor. Court case ensues. dB level is not always necessarily the issue. Unless the person claiming hearing problems has a history of hearing tests which most of us do not, you cannot prove that the alarm sounder did NOT cause hearing impairment. That is where the compensation aspect comes in. Can you prove that the person's hearing was not damaged? I know that I cannot. There are a number of ailments which cannot be disproved such as nerve pain - no matter how many scans you get or how many consultants say that nothing was found, if the person says that it hurts, then what do you do? How about a chat with the insurers of the building? May help the landlord see sense.