Binmen warned to wear earmuffs by Heath and Safety Executive

Binmen warned to wear earmuffs by Heath and Safety Executive

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:13 AM on 22nd January 2009

Binmen have been told to wear earmuffs while collecting glass for recycling in order to protect their hearing.

The Health and Safety Executive has told councils to urge their binmen to wear earmuffs and to empty boxes of bottles and jars slowly to lessen the noise from crashing glass.

The HSE issued the advice after carrying out a study into kerbside glass collection.


Unbearable: A binman emptying 50 boxes of glass a day into a metal dustcart would be exposed to 89 decibels, said the Health and Safety Executive report

The investigation found that as a result of glass collection, the legal noise threshold of 87 decibels a day is routinely being exceeded on waste rounds.

A binman emptying 50 boxes of glass a day into a metal dustcart would be exposed to 89 decibels, while for 500 collections the figure would be 99 decibels.

The report said: 'Workers exposed to these levels of noise are at a high risk of developing permanent hearing damage.'

'"Fast" depositing produces generally higher noise levels than "slow" depositing.'

Yesterday, the Daily Mail reported that music teachers have been been instructed to wear earmuffs or stand behind screens because of the risks to their hearing of listening to children play noisy instruments.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1126408/Binmen-warned-wear-earmuffs-Heath-Safety-Executive.html