Who is at risk?

Who is at risk?

Anyone who is exposed to noise is potentially at risk. The higher the noise level, and the longer you are exposed to it, the more risk you have of suffering harm from noise. In manufacturing and mining, 40% of employees experience significant noise levels for more than half of their working time. For construction, the proportion is 35% and in many other sectors, including agriculture, transport and communications, the figure is 20%. It is not only manufacturing and other traditional industries where noise is a problem. Noise is being recognised as a problem in service sectors such as education and healthcare, bars and restaurants.

• A study of noise in kindergartens found some averaging noise levels over 85dB
• During a performance of Swan Lake, a conductor was recorded as being exposed to 88dB
• Truck drivers can be exposed to 89dB
• Staff in nightclubs can be exposed to up to 100dB
• Noise on pig farms has been measured up to 115dB