Noise and Vibration Risk Assessment Template: What to Include for Construction and Manufacturing

In construction and manufacturing, noise and vibration often come from the same tools. An angle grinder, a breaker, a pneumatic drill — the operator gets both hazards at once. But the two are covered by separate regulations with different thresholds, different measurement units, and different control approaches. A noise-only assessment template misses the vibration side entirely.

This guide covers what a combined noise and vibration risk assessment template needs, how the two regulatory regimes differ, and the common gaps when employers try to handle both hazards with a generic form.

This guide covers template requirements for UK employer assessments under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. It is not a substitute for competent assessment where your workplace involves complex or variable exposures.

Two sets of regulations, two sets of thresholds

Noise thresholds

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 set three exposure levels:

Threshold	Daily/weekly average	Peak
Lower action value	80 dB(A)	135 dB(C)
Upper action value	85 dB(A)	137 dB(C)
Exposure limit value	87 dB(A)	140 dB(C)

For a detailed breakdown of what each noise threshold triggers, see UK Workplace Noise Exposure Limits.

Vibration thresholds

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 set separate thresholds for hand-arm vibration (HAV) and whole-body vibration (WBV):

Hand-arm vibration (HAV):

Threshold	Daily exposure A(8)
Exposure action value (EAV)	2.5 m/s²
Exposure limit value (ELV)	5 m/s²

Whole-body vibration (WBV):

Threshold	Daily exposure A(8)
Exposure action value (EAV)	0.5 m/s²
Exposure limit value (ELV)	1.15 m/s²

HAV comes from powered hand tools — grinders, breakers, sanders, drills, chainsaws. WBV comes from driving vehicles or operating mobile plant over rough surfaces.

What the template must cover

A noise-only template needs seven sections (see What to Look for in a Noise Risk Assessment Template). A combined noise and vibration template needs the same sections plus vibration-specific additions. Here is what changes:

1. Tool and equipment register (expanded)

The noise source inventory becomes a combined tool register. For each item, record:

Field	Noise	Vibration
Equipment name and model	✓	✓
Noise emission level (dB(A))	✓	—
Vibration magnitude (m/s²)	—	✓ (from manufacturer declaration or measurement)
Typical daily usage time	✓	✓
Who uses it	✓	✓

Most power tool manufacturers now include both noise emission data and vibration magnitude in CE declarations. If vibration data is not available, HSE's vibration guidance provides benchmark values for common tool types.

2. Worker exposure mapping (dual calculation)

For each worker or group, you need two separate exposure calculations:

• Noise: LEP,d in dB(A) — daily noise exposure. Use the free Noise Exposure Calculator.
• Vibration: A(8) in m/s² — daily vibration exposure. HSE provides a vibration exposure calculator and ready-reckoner for this.

A worker using a breaker for 2 hours and an angle grinder for 3 hours needs both calculations, because the noise and vibration exposures do not combine — they are assessed against their respective thresholds independently.

3. Action value comparison (two sets of thresholds)

Your template needs two comparison sections — one for noise, one for vibration. The duties triggered are similar in structure but different in detail:

Action	Noise (at lower/upper values)	HAV (at EAV/ELV)
Risk assessment	Required	Required
Controls	Required at upper values	Required at EAV
Health surveillance	Required at upper values (audiometry)	Required at EAV (symptom screening, referral if needed)
Information and training	Required at lower values	Required at EAV
Exposure must not be exceeded	Limit value (87 dB(A) with protection)	Limit value (5 m/s²)

4. Health surveillance (two programmes)

Noise surveillance means audiometry (see Workplace Audiometry). Vibration surveillance means regular symptom screening for HAV (asking about tingling, numbness, blanching in fingers) and clinical referral when symptoms are reported. The two programmes have different providers, different schedules, and different records. Your template must track both.

5. Control measures (different hierarchies)

Noise and vibration share the same hierarchy (eliminate, substitute, engineer, administer, protect), but the practical controls differ:

• Noise: Enclosures, barriers, damping, hearing protection
• Vibration: Lower-vibration tool selection, anti-vibration gloves (limited effectiveness), reduced trigger time, job rotation, tool maintenance

Worn or poorly maintained tools typically produce higher vibration than new ones. Tool maintenance is a vibration control measure in a way it is not always considered for noise.

For noise control measure detail, see Noise Risk Assessment Control Measures.

6. Action plan (combined or separate)

The action plan can be a single document covering both hazards, but each action item should clearly state which hazard it addresses. An action to "provide PPE" is not specific enough — is it hearing protection, anti-vibration gloves, or both?

7. Review triggers (additional)

In addition to the standard noise review triggers, a combined template should include:

• Changes to the tool inventory (new tools may have different vibration profiles)
• HAV symptom reports from workers
• Changes in tool condition that affect vibration output
• Seasonal changes in vibration risk (cold conditions worsen HAV symptoms)

Common gaps in combined assessments

• Vibration ignored entirely — the template covers noise but has no vibration section. Common when using a noise-only template in a workshop that also has vibration exposure.
• No tool register with vibration data — noise levels are estimated but vibration magnitudes are not recorded. Manufacturers increasingly provide both in CE declarations.
• Single exposure calculation — only LEP,d is calculated, not A(8). The two are separate assessments against separate thresholds.
• Health surveillance for noise but not vibration — audiometry is set up but HAV symptom screening is not. Both are required above the respective action values.
• Generic PPE action — "provide PPE" without specifying what type for which hazard. Hearing protection does nothing for vibration. Anti-vibration gloves do nothing for noise.

When to use a combined template

A combined template is appropriate when the same workers are regularly exposed to both noise and vibration — typically:

• Construction trades — workers using breakers, concrete cutters, powered hand tools on-site
• Metalworking and fabrication — grinding, cutting, hammering, riveting
• Woodworking — power saws, routers, sanders, planers
• Vehicle/plant maintenance — impact wrenches, grinders, body hammers
• Quarrying and demolition — breaking, crushing, drilling

If your workplace only has noise exposure (no significant vibration-producing tools), a noise-only assessment is sufficient. Use the standard noise template checklist from What to Look for in a Noise Risk Assessment Template.

For the step-by-step assessment process, see How to Complete a Noise Risk Assessment. For help deciding whether to estimate exposure or commission a formal survey, see Workplace Noise Assessment: DIY vs Consultant. To structure the noise side of your assessment, try the free Noise Risk Assessment Starter Template.

Sources

• The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 — legislation.gov.uk
• The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 — legislation.gov.uk
• Vibration risk assessment — HSE
• L108: Controlling Noise at Work (3rd edition, 2021) — HSE