HEALTH & SAFETY
“We can sell you a system for a few hundred pounds, or smaller companies can even rent it for just one test. Either option is good value, when you consider your staff can remain in work and you can do the test at a time to suit the business, keeping disruption to a minimum. “But the real win is that it helps businesses remove complexity around the issue. From staff not showing up for appointments to keeping down costs, WorkScreen removes admin charges because it gives instant results in the form of a downloadable report.” For some of its big clients with hundreds,
Tom Parker
acoustician and audiologist, Mark Ashmore, which aimed to provide a simpler, easier way to checking your hearing. When Mr Parker’s time with PC Werth ended in 2015, after it was taken over by the US giant, IntriCon Corp, he saw his opportunity to go into business with Mr Ashmore, by helping employers protect staff against hearing loss - ensuring their duties are fulfilled and defusing any future legal assault. Introduced into a working environment, WorkScreen’s user operated hearing test (tests are required by law if noise in the working environment is above a certain level) helps establish an individual’s baseline hearing ability. Staff and employers can use this to manage their behaviour. “Our kit is designed to be as simple as possible. It comes ready to use in an armoured case for the workplace, complete with an adjustable stand in it,” said Mr Parker. It should all be familiar to most – think case, tablet, earphones and instructions. With telephone support, and instruction, the test meets employer obligations under the Noise at Work Act that the government demands. “You then simply go through the process. Once you have a baseline hearing level, you can establish if hearing is getting worse over time. “The theory is well established – hearing tests have been around since the 1800s.” The easily transportable box – the company will even courier them out to businesses and collect – is a cost-saving way for employers to live up to their obligations to look after their staff.
if not thousands of staff – like Dairy Crest and Muller – theWorkScreen kit was embraced for just these reasons. If your staff may be exposed to noise, are scattered at different sites, if you need to keep production running, if you have one eye on costs but demand quality, it could be music to everyone’s ears. According to the HSE… The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (the Noise Regulations) came into force for all industry sectors in Great Britain on April 6, 2006 (except for the music and entertainment sectors where they came into force on 6 April 2008). The level at which employers must provide hearing protection and hearing protection zones is now 85 decibels (daily or weekly average exposure) and the level at which employers must assess the risk to workers' health and provide them with information and training is now 80 decibels. According to the Labour Force Survey (2015/16 to 2017/18) 23,000 was the estimated number of workers with work-related hearing problems. According to the British Association of Insurers payouts increased from £50m in 2003 to £350m in 2014, from 15,000 successful claims, with average payout per claim more than doubling. The HSE has recently increased the category of hearing protection products to the maximum level. (PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425) l For more information visit workscreenuk.co.uk or phone 0117 2301717
July 2019 | www. punchline-gloucester .com | 7
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