Noise & Hand-Arm Vibration Compliance (2026)

Noise-induced hearing loss and hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) are long-latency occupational diseases caused by physical agents. Regulators and, for companies in CSRD scope, sustainability assurance teams want documented evidence that you measure, control and surveil these exposures. This guide shows how, and where the industrial hygiene software stack fits.

1. Why physical-agent records matter

Two reasons:

• Long latency, late claims. Hearing loss and HAVS appear years after exposure, and without exposure records a later claim is hard to defend.
• ESRS S1 disclosure. For undertakings in CSRD scope (see the ESRS glossary entry and our ESRS disclosures guide) where own workforce is a material topic, the ESRS S1 health and safety metrics include the number of cases of recordable work-related ill health. In the 2023 ESRS, which apply up to financial year 2026, the guidance names noise-induced hearing loss and vibration-caused diseases among them (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, S1-14 and AR 92). The revised ESRS (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1563, published in the Official Journal on 21 September 2026, in force on 10 November 2026 and applying to financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2027) cover these cases under S1-13 without that list of examples. Their definition of recordable work-related ill health includes illness caused primarily by exposure at work to a physical risk factor if it results in death or absence from work, and AR 27 includes cases identified through medical surveillance.

2. The legal stack

Noise. Directive 2003/10/EC (in Great Britain, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005) and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 use similar trigger levels:

• Lower Exposure Action Value (LEAV / Action Level): 80 dB(A) LEX,8h (EU) / 85 dB(A) TWA (OSHA hearing-conservation trigger, 1910.95(c))
• Upper Exposure Action Value (UEAV): 85 dB(A) LEX,8h (EU), at which hearing protectors must be used (Article 6(1)(b))
• Exposure Limit Value (ELV): 87 dB(A) LEX,8h (EU), assessed taking account of the attenuation of the hearing protectors worn (Article 3(2))
• EU peak sound pressure values of 135 / 137 / 140 dB(C) for the lower action, upper action and limit values

Do not read the two systems as one scale. The OSHA 85 dB(A) figure is the action level that starts the hearing conservation programme, but OSHA's permissible exposure limit in Table G-16 of 1910.95 is 90 dBA for eight hours, and the permitted duration halves for every 5 dB increase (four hours at 95 dBA, two hours at 100 dBA). The EU values are daily exposure levels, LEX,8h, which the directive defines by reference to ISO 1999:1990. A shift that sits exactly on one regime's trigger need not sit on the other's, so keep the two calculations separate in a multinational record. The directive also allows Member States, in duly justified circumstances, to use a weekly exposure level where daily exposure varies markedly (Article 3(3)).

Hand-arm vibration. Directive 2002/44/EC (in Great Britain, the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005):

• EAV: A(8) = 2.5 m/s², above which a programme of technical and/or organisational measures is required (Article 5(2))
• ELV: A(8) = 5.0 m/s², which exposure must not exceed (Article 5(3))

Whole-body vibration (same directive): EAV 0.5 m/s², ELV 1.15 m/s².

Methods: ISO 9612:2025 for noise measurement (ISO shows it as published in May 2025, replacing the 2009 edition), ISO 5349-1 for HAV (2001 edition, confirmed by ISO), ISO 2631-1 for WBV (1997 edition with Amendment 1:2010, which ISO lists as to be revised). The vibration directive's annex refers to ISO 5349-1 and ISO 2631-1 for the A(8) assessment, and to ISO 5349-2 for measurement of hand-arm vibration.

3. Measurement done right

Noise.

• Personal dosimetry with calibrated dosimeters worn for a representative shift.
• ISO 9612:2025 specifies three measurement strategies: task-based, job-based and full-day. Job-based fits SEG logic best.
• Field notes on HPE worn, tasks performed, exceptional events.

HAV.

• Have a competent person select and mount suitable transducers close to where vibration enters the palm. HSE measurement guidance warns that wrist, finger and back-of-hand measurements are unlikely to be representative. Distinguish vibration-magnitude measurement from a wearable tool-use timer, which still needs representative magnitude data.
• Trigger-time logging: record how long hands are actually in contact with the vibrating tool, which HSE notes may be only a few minutes in several hours of work with it.
• A(8) calculated as a partial exposure for each tool (from its vibration magnitude and daily trigger time), then combined into the daily exposure.

HSE publishes a spreadsheet exposure calculator for multi-tool days; a digital IH platform does the same sum in-line, attached to the SEG record.

Worked examples (illustrative numbers)

Noise. A press operator spends 4 hours at 88 dB(A) and 4 hours in a quieter area at 78 dB(A). Energy-averaging the two periods over 8 hours gives LEX,8h = 10 × log10(0.5 × 10^8.8 + 0.5 × 10^7.8) ≈ 85.4 dB(A). That is above the 85 dB(A) upper exposure action value although the louder half of the shift is only 3 dB above it, which is why a dosimeter reading for the full shift matters more than a spot reading at the machine. Directive 2003/10/EC Article 6(1)(b) then requires hearing protectors to be used. Moving the operator to the quieter area for one more hour lowers the result to about 84.4 dB(A) (3 hours at 88, 5 hours at 78).

Hand-arm vibration. An operator uses a breaker with an assumed vibration magnitude of 9 m/s² for 90 minutes and a grinder with an assumed 5 m/s² for 45 minutes. The partial exposure of each tool is its magnitude multiplied by the square root of (time in hours ÷ 8): about 3.9 m/s² for the breaker and about 1.5 m/s² for the grinder. The daily A(8) is the square root of the sum of the squares: about 4.2 m/s². That is above the 2.5 m/s² action value, so a programme of measures is required, and below the 5.0 m/s² limit, which must not be exceeded. The breaker contributes most of it, so reducing its trigger time or magnitude moves the figure most. Replace the assumed magnitudes with measured or representative data, as HSE's guidance above explains, and check the arithmetic against HSE's calculator.

4. SEGs for physical agents

Same Similar Exposure Group logic as chemicals; our industrial hygiene programme playbook sets out how to build the groups. For example:

• Noise SEG: machine operator on press X, working beside a sound enclosure, with hearing protector class Y.
• HAV SEG: scaffolder using SDS-Max breaker model Z, average 90 min trigger time/day.

Plan enough dosimetry shifts per SEG to support a statistical decision (ISO 9612 includes methods for estimating the uncertainty of the result); for HAV, combine measured trigger times with tool-specific magnitude data.

5. Controls in the right order

Always hierarchy first:

1. Eliminate / substitute — quieter tool, anti-vibration tool, alternative method.
2. Engineering — sound enclosures, damping, AV mounts.
3. Administrative — task rotation, trigger-time limits, exposure rotation.
4. PPE — HPE for noise; for HAV, gloves and warm clothing to keep hands warm and dry, which HSE says helps circulation, though gloves should not be relied on for protection from vibration.

Document the hierarchy decision in the SEG record — auditors look for it.

6. Health surveillance triggers

Noise. Under OSHA 1910.95(g), a baseline audiogram is required within 6 months of first exposure at or above the 85 dB(A) action level, then at least annually. A standard threshold shift (an average change of 10 dB or more at 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 Hz in either ear) must be reported to the employee in writing within 21 days and triggers follow-up such as fitting or refitting hearing protectors and retraining; a retest within 30 days is optional. Under Directive 2003/10/EC (Article 10), workers above the upper action value have the right to a hearing check, and preventive audiometric testing must be available above the lower action value where the risk assessment shows a risk to health.

HAV. HSE says employers must provide health surveillance for employees likely to be regularly exposed above the EAV or otherwise at risk, and recommends a tiered approach in its guidance for occupational health professionals (under Article 8 of Directive 2002/44/EC, workers exposed above the exposure action values are entitled to appropriate health surveillance, and the detailed provisions are set by national law and practice):

• Tier 1: initial (baseline) assessment, as a minimum a questionnaire, before exposure begins
• Tier 2: annual screening questionnaire
• Tier 3: assessment by a qualified person, usually an occupational health nurse, when symptoms are reported
• Tier 4: formal diagnosis by a doctor, who also makes the fitness-for-work decision
• Tier 5: standardised tests (optional)

Configure the IH platform to fire surveillance tasks automatically when an SEG crosses EAV (or, as an internal early-warning level of your choosing, 50% of EAV), routed to occupational health.

7. KPIs

• % workforce in SEGs above LEAV (noise) and EAV (HAV)
• Average LEX,8h and A(8) per SEG, with Mann-Kendall trend
• HPE attenuation-adjusted exposure (single-number rating method)
• HAV trigger-time accuracy (measured vs operator estimate)
• Audiometry STS rate
• Open HAVS Tier 3+ cases
• Surveillance completion %

8. Common findings

• A(8) calculated from manufacturer's vibration emission data alone (HSE warns that some manufacturer data may underestimate workplace vibration levels substantially)
• No HAV trigger-time measurement
• HPE selection by colour rather than by attenuation against LEX
• No re-assessment after tool fleet change
• Audiometry STS not investigated
• Surveillance not closed in worker record

A digital IH platform can flag all six.

Questions to ask a noise or vibration software vendor

These are demonstration prompts, not statements about any product; treat each answer as the vendor's claim until you have seen it work on your own data. The site's noise monitoring software page and industrial hygiene software page set out what the reviewed profiles document, without ranking them.

For how thinly documented capabilities such as audit trail and document control are across the reviewed profiles, see the capability map. The hierarchy of controls glossary entry and the hazard identification entry (HIRA) support the control-order and assessment steps above.

9. 60-day pilot for noise and HAV

• Weeks 1–2 — Baseline. Tool inventory, worker roster, SEG definition for noise and HAV, OEL/EAV/ELV library.
• Weeks 3–4 — Measure. Dosimetry shifts and HAV trigger-time logging on pilot SEGs.
• Weeks 5–6 — Decide & route. 95th-percentile vs EAV/ELV, surveillance triggers fired, controls escalated through the hierarchy.
• Weeks 7–8 — Embed. Dashboard live, monthly review cadence, integration with incident management and CAPA.

FAQ

Are AV gloves enough for HAV? No. HSE says gloves can keep hands warm but should not be relied upon to provide protection from vibration. They are a small adjunct to elimination, substitution and trigger-time control.

Do we need dosimetry or can sound-level meter readings do? Spot meter readings characterise the source; dosimetry characterises the worker exposure. Personal dosimetry is the safer choice for mobile workers or variable noise: OSHA 1910.95(d)(1)(ii) requires representative personal sampling where high worker mobility, significant variations in sound level or a significant impulse component make area monitoring generally inappropriate, unless the employer can show that area sampling produces equivalent results.

How do we handle 12-hour shifts? Both noise metrics are calculated from the whole shift's exposure: LEX,8h is normalised to a nominal 8-hour day (Directive 2003/10/EC, Article 2) and OSHA computes the 8-hour TWA from the full-shift dose (1910.95(c) and Appendix A). Enter the full 12 hours rather than applying a chemical OEL adjustment model; the A(8) calculation handles HAV the same way.

Where does this connect to ISO 45001? Noise and vibration are hazards your 45001 hazard identification should cover. An auditor will expect to see SEGs, dosimetry results and surveillance triggers in your record.

Can we report this under CSRD ESRS S1? Partly. If you are in scope and own workforce is material, the 2023 ESRS count noise-induced hearing loss and vibration-caused diseases towards the cases of recordable work-related ill health, including cases identified through medical surveillance (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, AR 92 and AR 94). In the revised ESRS (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1563, S1-13, applying to financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2027) the examples are no longer listed; the definition of recordable work-related ill health covers illness caused primarily by exposure at work to a physical risk factor if it results in death or absence from work, and AR 27 includes cases identified through medical surveillance. Exposure-incident counts are not an ESRS S1 health and safety datapoint in either version.

Does OSHA have a hand-arm vibration limit? This guide does not cite one. The vibration limits above come from the EU directive and the British regulations that implement it. If you operate in both regimes, record which one each exposure value is assessed against.

What counts as a standard threshold shift under OSHA? An average change of 10 dB or more relative to the baseline at 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 Hz in either ear. The employee must be told in writing within 21 days, and, unless a physician decides the shift is not work related, hearing protectors are fitted or refitted and training is repeated (1910.95(g)(8) and (g)(10)).

Is there a shortcut for small sites? Start the pilot with the top three noisy machines and top three vibration tools, then extend afterwards.

Sources

• Directive 2003/10/EC on exposure to noise (EUR-Lex)
• Directive 2002/44/EC on exposure to vibration (EUR-Lex)
• 29 CFR 1910.95, Occupational noise exposure and Appendix A, Noise exposure computation (OSHA)
• Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (legislation.gov.uk)
• HSE: controlling HAV risks and health surveillance, HAV risk assessment, HAV exposure calculator and health surveillance guidance for occupational health professionals
• ISO 9612:2025, ISO 5349-1:2001 and ISO 2631-1:1997 (iso.org)
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, ESRS S1 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1563, revised ESRS (EUR-Lex)

Updated 4 October 2026: the directives, OSHA 1910.95, HSE pages, ISO editions and both ESRS regulations were re-opened. The revised ESRS wording was corrected (the physical-risk-factor language is in the definition, not in AR 27) and its entry-into-force and application dates added. An OSHA permissible-exposure-limit note, the ISO edition statuses, two worked examples, a vendor-question table and two FAQ entries were added, and an erroneous "LEV" reference in the SEG example was removed.

Corrected 23 September 2026: statistics without a primary source were sourced, labelled as examples or removed, and the regulations cited now link to their official texts.