Victorian Consolidated Regulations

8 Reg. 9.2.1: S.R. No. 127/2000 as amended by S.R. No. 96/2005. - SECT 3.2.4.

Control of exposure to noise

3.2.4. Control of exposure to noise



(1) An employer must ensure that no employee at the workplace is exposed to
noise that exceeds the noise exposure standard by implementing the following
risk control measures-

   (a)  the employer must eliminate the source of noise to which an employee
        is exposed, so far as is reasonably practicable;

   (b)  if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the source of the
        noise, the employer must reduce the exposure of the employee to noise,
        so far as is reasonably practicable, by-

   (i)  substituting quieter plant or processes; or

   (ii) using engineering controls;

   (c)  if an employee is still exposed to noise that exceeds the noise
        exposure standard after the employer has complied with paragraph (b),
        the employer must reduce the exposure of the employee to noise, so far
        as is reasonably practicable, by the use of administrative controls;

   (d)  if an employee is still exposed to noise that exceeds the noise
        exposure standard after the employer has complied with paragraphs (b)
        and (c), the employer must provide hearing protectors to reduce the
        exposure of the employee to noise, so that it does not exceed the
        noise exposure standard.

Note Act compliance-section 21 (see regulation 1.1.7).

(2) An employer providing hearing protectors under subregulation (1)(d) must,
when selecting the hearing protectors, consider-

   (a)  the nature of noise in the workplace; and

   (b)  noise levels in the workplace; and

   (c)  the duration of exposure to noise; and

   (d)  systems of work at the workplace.

Notes 1. Act compliance-section 21 (see regulation 1.1.7). 2. The nature of
the noise in the workplace may involve consideration of the frequency
component, impulse or other relevant matters.

(3) If several employees are exposed to identical sources of noise at the
workplace and their exposure to noise is likely to be the same, the employer
may select hearing protectors for those employees by considering the factors
in subregulation (2) in respect of one or more of those employees.