HSE Noise Assessment Guidance: What It Says and How to Use It

HSE publishes detailed guidance on workplace noise — but it is spread across multiple documents, web pages, and downloadable publications. Employers searching for "HSE noise assessment" often land on one page without realising there are five or six others that cover the parts they actually need.

This guide maps out the key HSE noise guidance documents, explains what each one covers, and tells you which to read based on where you are in the assessment and compliance process.

This guide summarises and interprets published HSE guidance for UK employers. It is not legal advice and does not replace reading the source documents themselves.

The core HSE guidance documents for workplace noise

HSE's noise guidance falls into three tiers: the legal text, the approved code of practice, and practical web guidance. Here is what each covers and when to read it.

1. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (the law)

The Regulations on legislation.gov.uk

This is the statutory instrument — the actual law. It defines the exposure action values (80, 85, and 87 dB(A)), sets out employer duties across Regulations 4–10, and establishes the legal framework for assessment, controls, hearing protection, health surveillance, and training.

When to read it: When you need to check the precise legal wording — for example, to confirm what "so far as is reasonably practicable" means in the context of noise controls, or to understand the exact scope of a specific regulation.

What it does not do: It does not tell you how to comply in practice. For that, you need L108.

2. L108: Controlling Noise at Work (approved code of practice)

L108 on HSE Books — free PDF download, 3rd edition (2021)

L108 is the approved code of practice (ACOP) and guidance for the 2005 Regulations. It is the single most important HSE document for noise compliance. It covers:

• How to carry out a noise risk assessment (who, when, how)
• When you need formal noise measurement vs estimation
• How to select and maintain noise controls
• How to choose and manage hearing protection
• When and how to set up health surveillance
• What information and training workers need

The ACOP sections carry special legal weight: if you are prosecuted and have not followed the ACOP, you need to show that what you did instead was at least as good.

When to read it: Before conducting your first assessment, and again when reviewing your assessment approach. This is the document a competent assessor should be familiar with.

Practical note: L108 is over 100 pages. For most small employers, the sections on assessment (Part 2), noise control (Part 3), and hearing protection (Part 4) are the highest priority.

3. HSE web guidance pages

HSE publishes several web pages that summarise and expand on the regulations and L108:

Page	URL	What it covers	Best for
Noise at work (hub)	hse.gov.uk/noise/	Overview and navigation to all noise pages	Starting point if you are new to noise duties
Employers' responsibilities	hse.gov.uk/noise/employers.htm	Legal duties summarised in plain English	Quick reference for what you must do at each action value
How do I assess the risks?	hse.gov.uk/noise/risks.htm	Assessment process, estimation methods, when to measure	Preparing for or reviewing your noise assessment
Regulations	hse.gov.uk/noise/regulations.htm	Summary of each regulation's requirements	Looking up what a specific regulation requires
Managing noise risks: checklist	hse.gov.uk/noise/checklist.htm	Self-check questions for employers	Quick compliance health-check
Exposure calculators	hse.gov.uk/noise/calculator.htm	Daily and weekly exposure calculators, hearing protection estimator	Estimating exposure levels and HPE performance

4. INDG362: Noise at Work — A Brief Guide to Controlling the Risks

INDG362 (PDF)

A 10-page summary aimed at employers who need the essentials without reading L108 in full. It covers the action values, what to do at each level, the control hierarchy, hearing protection basics, and health surveillance requirements.

When to read it: When you need a quick refresher or want to brief a manager or supervisor who does not need the full detail of L108.

Which document to read first

Your starting point depends on where you are in the process:

"I don't know if we have a noise problem" Start with Employers' responsibilities. It includes the rough screening test (if you need to raise your voice to have a normal conversation at 2 metres, levels are likely at or above 85 dB(A)). If the answer is yes or maybe, move to the assessment process.

"We need to do an assessment" Read How do I assess the risks? for the practical process. Then read L108 Part 2 for the detailed requirements. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see How to Complete a Noise Risk Assessment.

"We have the assessment — now what?" Read L108 Parts 3-5 (controls, hearing protection, health surveillance). Cross-reference with UK Workplace Noise Exposure Limits for a clear breakdown of what each threshold requires.

"We need to estimate exposure levels" Use HSE's exposure calculators or the free Noise Exposure Calculator to estimate daily exposure from multiple sources and durations.

"We need a template to record the assessment" HSE does not publish a standard template — the Regulations require a record but do not mandate a format. For guidance on choosing a template, see What to Look for in a Noise Risk Assessment Template, or start with the free Noise Risk Assessment Starter Template. For a worked example of a completed assessment, see Noise Risk Assessment Example.

What HSE guidance does not cover

HSE guidance tells you what to do and provides methods for doing it. What it does not address well is the ongoing management work that follows:

• Tracking follow-up actions — the assessment creates action items, but HSE does not prescribe how to track their completion
• Managing PPE records — who received what hearing protection, when, and whether it is suitable for the noise levels
• Scheduling and recording audiometry — knowing who is due for a hearing test and whether results show deterioration
• Maintaining the evidence trail — proving to an inspector or insurer that you did what the assessment said you would

This is the gap between having a compliant assessment and actually managing noise risk on an ongoing basis. For the full regulatory framework, see UK Noise at Work Regulations: The Complete Employer Guide.

When HSE guidance is not enough

HSE guidance is written to cover a wide range of workplaces. It does not replace professional judgment in specific situations:

• Complex noise environments — overlapping sources, variable patterns, reverberant spaces. L108 acknowledges that formal measurement by a competent person is needed when estimation is not reliable.
• Exposure close to action values — if your estimate puts workers at 83-86 dB(A), the margin matters. A formal survey with calibrated instruments gives defensible evidence.
• Enforcement or claims context — if you are responding to an improvement notice, preparing for prosecution, or defending an injury claim, you need professional advice beyond published guidance.

Sources

• The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 — legislation.gov.uk
• L108: Controlling Noise at Work (3rd edition, 2021) — HSE
• How do I assess the risks? — HSE
• Employers' responsibilities — HSE
• Managing noise risks: checklist — HSE
• INDG362: Noise at Work — A Brief Guide to Controlling the Risks (PDF) — HSE