Noise Code of Practice 2004
1. What is noise?
2. Responsibilities
3. Noise assessments
4. How should noise be managed?
5. What are noise control measures?
6. Audiometric testing
Appendix 1 - extract from the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997
Appendix 2 – Obligations under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995
Appendix 3 – Noise hazard identification checklist
Appendix 4 – Instruments for assessing noise levels
Appendix 5 – Guidance material
Appendix 6 – Ototoxins
Appendix 7 – Acoustic shock
Appendix 8 – Dictionary
Important information about the Noise Code of Practice 2004
- The code replaces the Workplace Health and Safety (Noise) Advisory Standard made on 3 December 1998.
- The code was made on 2 March 2004.
- The code commenced on 8 March 2004.
- The code was amended on 28 April 2006.
- The code expires 10 years after it commenced.
What is this Code of Practice about?
The purpose of the Noise Code of Practice 2004 is to give practical advice about identifying sources and levels of noise, assessing exposure to noise and eliminating or minimising noise exposure as a risk to health and safety at the workplace.
Workplace health and safety obligations
The Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (PDF, 766 KB) places obligations on people at workplaces to ensure workplace health and safety. Workplace health an d safety is ensured when people are free from death, injury or illness or risk of death, injury or illness caused or created by any workplace, work activities, relevant workplace areas or plant or substances for use at a workplace. Ensuring workplace health and safety involves identifying and managing exposure to risks at your wo rkplace.
Obligation holders
In regards to noise the following persons may have obligations under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995:
- persons conducting a business or undertaking (this includes employers and self-employed persons)
- persons in control of workplaces
- principal contractors
- designers of plant
- manufacturers of plant
- suppliers of plant
- erectors and installers of plant
- manufacturers of substances fo r use at workplace
- suppliers of substances for use at workplace
- designers of buildings or other structures used as workplaces
- persons in control of relevant workplace area
- persons in control of fixtures, fittings or plant included in relevant workplace are a
- owners of specified high risk plant.
Persons may owe obligations in more than one capacity, for example an employer may also be a person in control of a workplace and/or a person who conducts a business or undertaking.
Obligations of a person who conducts a business or undertaking (a 'relevant person')
The Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 places obligations on a person who conducts a business or undertaking. The Act refers to a person who conducts a business or undertaking as a ‘relevant person’. The obligations apply whether or not –
- the relevant person conducts the business or undertaking as an employer, self-employed person or otherwise; and
- the business or undertaking is conducted for gain or reward; and
- a person works on a voluntary basis.
Relevant persons have an obligation to ensure –
- the workplace health and safety of their workers and any other persons is not affected by the conduct of the relevant person’s business or undertaking; and
- their own workplace health and safety.
The term 'relevant person' is also used in the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 (PDF, 1.4 MB).
Where this code of practice provides advice to employers and self-employed persons on managing exposure to risks, other persons who conduct a business or undertaking may also find this advice applicable depending on their circumstances.
How can I meet my obligations?
Under the Act, there are three types of instruments to help you meet workplace health and safety obligation s – regulations, ministerial notices and codes of practice.
If there is a regulation or ministerial notice about a risk, you MUST do what the regulation or notice says.
If there is a code of practice about a risk, you MUST either –
- do what the code says; or
- do all of the following–
- adopt and follow another way that gives the same level of protection against the risk
- take reasonable precautions; and
- exercise proper diligence.
Last updated 3 July 2008