Noise

Noise is one of the most common workplace hazards. In Germany, approximately 5 million workers are exposed to noise of a level that poses a hearing hazard.


In mid-February 2003, Directive 2003/10/EC
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 February 2003 on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (noise) was published in the European Union's Official Journal, entering into force on the same day.
The Directive specifies the exposure limit values and decreases the exposure limits at which hearing protection is required to be worn.

The member states have three years to put legal and administrative provisions into place in order to comply with the Directive.