The Department has set up an ad hoc advisory group to advise about the effects of environmental noise on health, which includes the risk to hearing from over exposure to loud noise. This group is currently producing a report on these matters, which is due to be published later this year.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) produce a leaflet entitled ‘Protect your hearing or lose it’, which looks at noise and health issues in the workplace. This is available on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg363.pdf, and a copy has been placed in the Library.