Work Activities · 6 checks

Noise & Vibration
safety audit checklist

HAV monitoring, hearing zones, exposure controls.

Every check below says what good looks like, when it passes, the regulation or HSE guidance it rests on and the defects that usually fail it. Critical checks are marked: a fail on one of those stops the activity.

  1. 1.
    Noise assessment completed for noisy activities
    What to look forWritten noise assessment for any task at or above 80 dB(A) Lower Action Value. Includes activity, dB(A) level, exposure duration, peak C-weighted level. Uses HSE Noise calculator or sound level meter (Class 2 minimum, calibrated). Recommends control measures (engineering > admin > PPE). Reviewed when equipment or process changes.
    Acceptable whenControl of Noise at Work Regs 2005, assess where noise likely to reach 80 dB(A). Lower Action Value (LAV) 80 dB(A) / 135 dB(C) peak; Upper Action Value (UAV) 85 dB(A) / 137 dB(C); Exposure Limit Value (ELV) 87 dB(A) / 140 dB(C).
    StandardControl of Noise at Work Regs 2005. L108, ACOP. BS EN 61672 (sound level meter). HSE Noise calculator.
    Common defectsNo noise assessment despite breaking, cutting, hammering activitiesGeneric assessment from supplier, not site-validatedPeak C-weighted not measured (cartridge-fired tools)No review when new equipment introducedAssessment exists but PPE selected with insufficient SNR
  2. 2.
    Hearing protection zones designated and signed
    What to look forBlue circle pictogram (BS EN ISO 7010 M003) at boundary of any area where noise reaches 85 dB(A) Upper Action Value. Boundary clearly defined (paint, barriers, area markers). Zones reviewed as work progresses. Hearing protection available at boundary.
    Acceptable whenControl of Noise at Work Regs 2005 Reg 7, Hearing Protection Zones designated where noise reaches UAV (85 dB(A)). Sign at every entry. Mandatory PPE within zone.
    StandardControl of Noise at Work Regs 2005 Reg 7. L108. BS EN ISO 7010:2020.
    Common defectsNo HPZ signs at high-noise activitiesSign present but boundary unclear, operatives just outside line still exposedSign faded / not visible from approachMobile noise source moves, zone not re-establishedPPE not provided at zone boundary
  3. 3.
    Ear defenders worn in designated zones
    What to look forEar defenders or ear plugs with adequate SNR for the noise level, not over-protected (hearing safety messages). Worn correctly: defenders sealing fully (no hair under cup), plugs rolled and inserted to correct depth. Replaced when damaged. Operative able to remove safely outside zone.
    Acceptable whenControl of Noise at Work Regs 2005 Reg 7, hearing protection mandatory at UAV (85 dB(A)). PPE selected with appropriate attenuation; HSE recommends not over-protecting (target 70-80 dB(A) at ear). EN 352 series compliant.
    StandardControl of Noise at Work Regs 2005. L108. EN 352-1 (defenders), EN 352-2 (plugs). INDG363, Protect your hearing or lose it.
    Common defectsHearing protection in pocket, not on headPlugs not rolled/inserted properly, minimal attenuationSingle cup defender, broken sealFoam plugs reused day after day, lose elasticitySNR insufficient for noise level (e.g. SNR 22 used for 100+ dB)
  4. 4.
    HAV exposure monitoring in place for vibrating tools
    What to look forTools assessed against manufacturer m/s² A(8) data; exposure logged per operative per day. Exposure points calculator used. EAV 100 points/day = 2.5 m/s² A(8); ELV 400 points/day = 5 m/s² A(8). Health surveillance for exposure above EAV. Tier 1-3 questionnaires, escalating to OH assessment.
    Acceptable whenControl of Vibration at Work Regs 2005, EAV 2.5 m/s² A(8); ELV 5 m/s² A(8). Daily exposure points (HSE calculator), EAV = 100 pts, ELV = 400 pts. Health surveillance from EAV. Records retained 40+ years.
    StandardControl of Vibration at Work Regs 2005. L140, ACOP. INDG175, Hand-arm vibration. HSE points calculator.
    Common defectsNo exposure records, supervisor doesn't know who used whatTools used beyond ELV repeatedly (>400 points)No health surveillance referrals despite years of exposureManufacturer m/s² used without site adjustment for tool wearOperative reporting tingling fingers / Stage 1 HAVS, no escalation
  5. 5.
    Tool trigger times being managed and recorded
    What to look forTrigger time logged per operative per shift on a sheet, app, or device-mounted timer. Tool-rotation schedule used to share exposure across team. Job re-planned to reduce trigger time (different method, mechanical tool, larger team). Exposure points displayed at noticeboard.
    Acceptable whenControl of Vibration at Work Regs 2005, exposure must be reduced "as low as is reasonably practicable". Daily trigger time managed against EAV/ELV. Records of exposure retained.
    StandardControl of Vibration at Work Regs 2005. L140. INDG175. HSE Operative Daily Exposure card.
    Common defectsNo trigger time logged, assumed within limitsSingle operative on breaker all day, exposure exceeds ELVNo tool rotation across teamRecords lost / not maintainedJob re-planning never considered
  6. 6.
    Low-vibration tools selected where available
    What to look forProcurement specifies low-vibration tools (e.g. Hilti / Bosch ranges with Active Vibration Reduction below 2.5 m/s²). Old higher-vibration kit retired. Tools maintained, blunt bits/teeth dramatically increase vibration. Sharpening regime in place. Heavy work moved to mechanical (compactor, hydraulic breaker) where possible.
    Acceptable whenControl of Vibration at Work Regs 2005 Reg 6, control hierarchy: avoid > engineering controls > work systems. Low-vibration tools = engineering control. Maintenance regime per manufacturer.
    StandardControl of Vibration at Work Regs 2005. L140. Manufacturer technical data. HSE / CDC tool selection guidance.
    Common defectsOld high-vibration tools still in use despite low-vib alternative availableBits/teeth blunt, vibration multipliedManufacturer figures used as if maintained perfectlyNo procurement policy specifying low-vib criteriaHand-held breaker used where electric drill or mechanical breaker would do

Questions people ask

How often should a noise & vibration audit be done?

Weekly is the common rhythm for a live site, plus whenever the work, the plant or the people change and after any incident or near miss. What matters is that it is scored, recorded, dated and the actions are closed out, not the exact frequency. Guidance, not legal advice.

What is the difference between a safety audit and an inspection?

An inspection looks at the site. An audit checks the system as well: is the paperwork there, do the people know it, is what was promised actually happening. On a small site the words blur, and that is fine. The checks below cover both.

What happens with a failed item?

A corrective action with an owner and a date, and a photo of the fail so nobody argues later. Where a check is marked critical, a fail stops that activity until it is put right.

Who should carry out the audit?

A competent person, and where possible not the person whose work is being looked at. The site manager auditing the site manager's housekeeping is better than nothing, but a visiting supervisor or the SHEQ lead sees what the regular eye has stopped noticing.

Is a site safety audit a legal requirement?

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require arrangements for monitoring your health and safety measures (regulation 5), and CDM 2015 requires every contractor to plan, manage and monitor the work under their control (regulation 15). A recorded, scored audit is how you show that is happening. Guidance, not legal advice.

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