Fears grow over awareness on new noise regs

Fears are mounting over a huge lack of trade awareness over new noise regulations and the way councils will enforce them.

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations came into force in most sectors in 2006, but pub and clubs were handed a two-year exemption.

However the final guidance covering the pub sector has yet to be published for the regulations, due to take effect in April.

And Martin Rawlings, director of pub & leisure at the British Beer & Pub Association, which is preparing its own guidelines, has warned that many licensees are not clued-up on the new rules. "The big problem is there is not enough awareness in the trade," he said. "The regulations are onerous, but licensees have to use a common sense approach."

Under the new rules, licensees must ensure staff are not subjected to noise levels above 87 decibels. Other responsibilities they face include supplying staff with earplugs where the noise cannot be reduced and carrying out health surveillance.

Rawlings added: "Giving staff earplugs that allow them to still hear customers could be expensive, but it's better than them going for ear tests all the time."

Chris Oakes, licensee at the Tintagel Arms Hotel, in Tintagel, Cornwall, agreed there was a lack of awareness. "I knew about them but did not realise they were so full-on," he said. "I've had no information from my council. Most pubs even without music would struggle to stay within the guidelines."

The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) last year warned that employers could face a "wave of compensation claims" if they failed to implement the regulations.

However a spokesman for local authority co-ordinating body LACORS sought to reassure licensees. "I would hope that local authorities take a sensitive and proportionate approach," he said. "We would expect them to raise awareness and inform people."