Occupational risks to hearing reviewed

With the publication of CONCAWE report 5/05 an extensive work programme on the factors potentially affecting the hearing of petroleum industry workers has recently been completed by the CONCAWE Health Management Group. It was initiated some seven years ago when it became clear that the 1986 European Directive on noise at work would be revised. Noise at work legislation has been in place for many years in most countries with the principal aim of protecting workers’ hearing.

The legislation in most EU Member States is directly based on Directive 86/1898/EEC which contained an undertaking to review its provisions in the light of experience and developments in scientific and technical knowledge about the effects of noise exposure on health. In February 2003 a new Directive (2003/10/EC) was issued with lowered noise exposure limits. Member States are required to transpose the provisions of the Directive by 15 February 2006.