Noise affects a wide variety of businesses. When noise is too loud, for too long, it can damage the delicate mechanism of the inner ear, destroying sensitive nerve cells. If you find it difficult to hold a conversation in the workplace, without shouting when standing 2m away from another person, you are likely to have a noise problem.
Hand-arm vibration (HAV) is vibration transmitted from work processes into the hands and arms. It can be caused by operating hand-held power tools, or by holding materials being processed by machinery. Regular and frequent exposure to high levels of vibration can lead to permanent injury. Regular exposure to HAV can cause a range of permanent injuries to hands and arms, collectively known as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).