Code of Practice for Controlling Risks due to Noise on Ships

The 2007 Noise Regulations has ensured new protections for merchant seamen and crews. The provisions include checking for daily and weekly exposure to noise and reduction of exposure to noise, plus information, instruction and training for noise-exposed workers.

The Code of Practice for Controlling Risks due to Noise on Ships helps explain the duties of operators and managers regarding the assessment and control of hearing risk due to noise in the maritime environment and it provides sufficient information to enable employers to assess the risks of noise injury to seafarers.

The Code of Practice deals with:

• The assessment of noise risk onboard ships.
• The measurement of noise levels.
• The determination of noise exposure levels for individual workers, or classes of workers performing the same tasks but on different watches.
• The means of protecting the seafarer from the risk of noise-induced hearing damage when it is not technically feasible or reasonably practicable to limit noise exposure to a non-harmful level.