Fibreline Ltd, a Keighley firm specialising in foam and feather furnishings was fined £19,457 (inc. costs) on 7 Oct 2014 after failing to protect its workforce from excessive noise made by production machinery.
The circumstances were:
- The company had not made a suitable assessment of noise levels and exposure in the factory between 2006 and 2013.
- Noise levels had become excessive from 2008 when a third machine was added to production process.
- In addition 2 glue-spraying booths, located side by side, were added in 2011.
- However, wearing hearing protection was not introduced until 2013.
- A health surveillance programme for noise exposure was not brought in until 2013, when 40 employees had to be given a hearing test.
The HSE Inspector said:
“Prolonged exposure to excessive and often constant levels of noise where people work day after day is a recognised threat to health and can lead to noise-induced hearing loss, a condition that can be severely debilitating. It is very important for employers to do what is required to prevent employees from being exposed to potentially harmful exposure. If such exposure cannot be prevented, then they must ensure that workers are wearing the right kind of personal hearing protection and receive regular health checks.”
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