How to Complete a Noise Risk Assessment: Step-by-Step for UK Employers

You know your workplace is noisy. You know the regulations say you need to assess the risk. But the gap between "we should do a noise risk assessment" and actually completing one is where most small employers stall.

This guide walks through the process from start to finish: deciding whether you need a formal assessment, gathering the right information, documenting findings, and — the part most guides skip — acting on what the assessment tells you.

This guide covers the assessment process under UK regulations. It is not a substitute for competent professional advice where your noise environment is complex or exposure levels are uncertain.

Do you actually need a noise risk assessment?

Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, the answer is yes if your workers may be exposed at or above the lower exposure action values: 80 dB(A) daily average or 135 dB(C) peak.

A rough screening test from HSE's employer guidance: if you need to raise your voice to have a normal conversation at about 2 metres away, noise levels are likely around 85 dB(A) or above — meaning the upper action value duties probably apply.

Industries where this almost always applies: manufacturing, construction, woodworking, metalworking, food processing, printing, quarrying, and any operation with sustained use of powered tools, compressors, or heavy plant.

If you are unsure whether your workplace crosses the threshold, that uncertainty is itself a reason to assess. The regulations require you to make a reliable estimate.

Step 1: Identify the noise sources and who is exposed

Before any measurement, map out your workplace noise:

• List every significant noise source — machines, processes, tools, vehicles, ventilation systems, impact operations
• Identify who works near each source — operators, nearby workers, passers-through, maintenance staff
• Note the work pattern — how long each person is exposed during a typical shift, and whether exposure varies day to day
• Check for peak noise events — cartridge tools, hammering, pressure releases, drops, impacts

The goal is not precision at this stage — it is a complete picture. Missing a source or a worker group means the assessment has a gap from the start.

Step 2: Estimate or measure exposure levels

You have two routes, depending on your workplace complexity:

Route A: estimation without formal measurement

For straightforward operations where noise sources are consistent, you can often estimate exposure using:

• Manufacturer noise data — CE declarations on machinery typically include a declared noise emission level
• HSE noise exposure ready-reckoners — published tables that help convert source levels and exposure durations into daily exposure estimates
• Industry benchmarks — HSE publishes typical noise levels for common tasks and equipment

This route works when your operations are stable, sources are few, and manufacturer data is available. It does not work well when sources overlap, exposure varies significantly, or levels are close to action values.

To convert source levels and durations into a daily exposure estimate, try the free Noise Exposure Calculator.

Route B: noise measurement survey

A formal survey uses calibrated instruments (sound level meters, personal dosimeters) to measure actual exposure. This route is appropriate when:

• Your workplace has multiple overlapping noise sources
• Exposure is close to or above action values
• Work patterns vary significantly
• You need defensible evidence for enforcement or insurance purposes

The person carrying out the survey must be competent — for complex environments, this typically means an acoustic consultant with calibrated instrumentation and experience in occupational noise measurement.

Step 3: Compare results against action values

Match your exposure estimates or measurements against the three regulatory thresholds from the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. For a detailed breakdown of what each threshold triggers, see UK Workplace Noise Exposure Limits.

Threshold	Daily/weekly average	Peak	What it triggers
Lower exposure action values	80 dB(A)	135 dB(C)	Assessment, information, training, hearing protection available on request
Upper exposure action values	85 dB(A)	137 dB(C)	Noise control action, mandatory hearing protection, protection zones, health surveillance
Exposure limit value	87 dB(A)	140 dB(C)	Must not be exceeded — immediate action required

For each worker or group, record which threshold applies and what duties that triggers. This comparison is the core output of the assessment.

Step 4: Identify existing controls and gaps

Document what you already have in place:

• Engineering controls (enclosures, barriers, damping, isolation mounts)
• Administrative controls (job rotation, time limits in noisy areas, scheduling)
• Hearing protection (what type, who has it, when it is worn)
• Signage (hearing protection zones marked and signed)
• Training (have workers received noise awareness training?)
• Health surveillance (are audiometric tests in place for workers above upper action values?)

Then identify the gaps. Common ones:

• Hearing protection issued but no record of who received it or when
• No hearing protection zones marked despite exposure above 85 dB(A)
• Health surveillance not in place for workers who need it
• No review process — the last assessment was done years ago and never revisited
• Engineering controls not considered — hearing protection used as the only measure

Step 5: Write the action plan

The assessment is not complete until you have a written action plan. HSE guidance expects this to cover:

• What needs to happen — specific control measures, equipment, training, surveillance
• Who is responsible — named person or role
• By when — realistic timescale for each action
• How you will check — review date or trigger for follow-up

The action plan turns the assessment from a compliance document into an operational tool. Without it, the assessment report sits in a drawer and nothing changes.

Step 6: Record the assessment

You must record your findings. The record should include:

• Date of assessment
• Who carried it out (and their competence)
• Noise sources identified
• Workers or groups exposed
• Exposure estimates or measurement results
• Comparison against action values
• Existing controls
• Gaps identified
• Action plan with responsibilities and timescales

There is no mandatory format. A structured document, spreadsheet, or digital record all work — what matters is that the information is accessible, complete, and retrievable when an inspector, insurer, or new manager needs it.

For a ready-made starting structure, try the free Noise Risk Assessment Starter Template. For guidance on evaluating other templates, see What to Look for in a Noise Risk Assessment Template.

Step 7: Act on the findings

This is where most assessments fail. The report is done, filed, and forgotten. The regulations require you to actually implement the controls you identified:

• Follow the control hierarchy — eliminate or reduce noise at source before relying on hearing protection. See UK Noise at Work Regulations: The Complete Employer Guide for the full hierarchy.
• Issue and record hearing protection — log who received what, when, and ensure it is suitable for the noise levels and environment
• Set up health surveillance — arrange baseline audiometry for workers exposed at or above upper action values, with follow-up tests at appropriate intervals
• Mark hearing protection zones — if any area exceeds 85 dB(A), it needs signage and enforced PPE use
• Train workers — on noise risks, hearing protection use, and how to report concerns

Step 8: Set the review schedule

The regulations require review when:

• Work processes, equipment, or layouts change
• New noise sources are introduced
• Health surveillance results suggest controls are not working
• There is any other reason to believe the assessment is no longer valid

HSE guidance advises checking whether a review is needed on a regular cycle — a practical approach is to review at least every one to two years, even if nothing appears to have changed.

Log each review trigger and outcome. This review trail is evidence that you are managing noise risk actively, not just ticking a box once.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating hearing protection as the only control — the regulations expect you to reduce noise at source first. Ear plugs as the sole measure is a compliance gap.
• Assessing once and never reviewing — a filed report with no review history looks worse than no assessment at all during an inspection.
• Missing worker groups — maintenance staff, cleaners, delivery drivers, and office workers near production areas can all be exposed.
• Using manufacturer data without context — declared noise levels are measured under specific test conditions that may not match your actual operating environment.
• No action plan — an assessment without documented actions and responsibilities is incomplete under the regulations.

What a good assessment looks like in practice

A practical noise risk assessment for a small employer with 10-30 exposed workers typically includes:

• A walk-through identifying 5-15 noise sources
• Exposure estimates or measurements for each worker group
• A table comparing each group against action values
• An action plan with 5-10 specific items, each assigned and dated
• A review schedule tied to known change triggers
• Records stored where the responsible person can access and update them

The assessment does not need to be long. A 3-4 page document with a clear action plan is more useful than a 30-page consultant report that nobody reads.

Sources

• The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 — legislation.gov.uk
• How do I assess the risks? — HSE
• Managing noise risks: checklist — HSE
• L108: Controlling Noise at Work (3rd edition, 2021) — HSE