Noise level safety

International Noise Awareness Day.

Nearly one-in-four employees in the EU (60 million people) are exposed to such high, persistent noise levels at work that they have to raise their voices to make themselves heard for at least half their time at work. A minor inconvenience? Not when it leads to deafness, tinnitus and other problems... One of the stereotypes concerning noise at work is that it can only affect your hearing, and that only people working in traditionally 'loud' industries, such as construction or metalworks, are at risk.
But were you aware that:

Noise could cost you much more than your hearing - it can be a causal factor in accidents and may act together with other workplace hazards to cause ill health.
Noise could have a direct and devastating effect on millions of people working in the service sector across Europe (e.g. in education, entertainment, call centres etc.).
All EU Member States are obliged to implement the 2003 Directive imposing new safety standards for noise at work.
Noise can be effectively controlled and its risks prevented or considerably reduced!

This is why the European Agency is saying: "Stop that Noise!" and launched Europe's biggest ever information campaign - International Noise Awareness Day.

More information is available at http://osha.europa.eu/en/campaigns/ew2005/ and a campaign pack including leaflets, factsheets, posters and logos is also available for downloading.