Hearing Test for Work

If you work in a noisy environment, a hearing test for work — known as occupational hearing surveillance or audiometric screening — is an important part of protecting your hearing health. In many cases, your employer is legally required to provide it.

Legal requirements

Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employers must:

• Assess noise risks in the workplace
• Provide hearing protection where daily noise exposure exceeds 85 dB (upper action level)
• Offer hearing surveillance (hearing tests) to employees regularly exposed above 85 dB
• Inform and train workers about noise risks

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces these regulations. Employers who fail to comply may face enforcement action.

What's involved

An occupational hearing test is typically a pure-tone audiometry screening. Results are compared against your baseline audiogram to identify any changes. Tests are usually carried out:

• Before or shortly after starting a noisy role (baseline test)
• Annually for ongoing surveillance
• If you report any hearing changes

Industries affected

Industries with the highest noise exposure include construction, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, entertainment and live music, aerospace, and military. However, any workplace exceeding 80 dB daily exposure should have noise assessments in place.

Your rights

If you work in a noisy environment, you have the right to:

• Request hearing protection from your employer
• Receive regular hearing tests at no cost to you
• Be informed of the results
• Be referred for further assessment if changes are detected
• Claim compensation if you develop hearing loss caused by workplace noise

If your employer doesn't offer testing

If you believe your employer should be providing hearing surveillance but isn't, contact the HSE for advice. You can also arrange a private hearing test to check your hearing independently.