Gay Mitchell
Ceist:76 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the Health and Safety Authority has reported on noise levels in nightclubs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9904/01]
Written Answers - Noise Pollution.
The National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health, known as the Health and Safety Authority, is the State body charged with responsibility for the administration, enforcement and promotion of all workplace health and safety legislation.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989, is the principal legislation dealing with occupational health and safety. It sets out the responsibilities of both employers and employees in relation to providing a safe working environment. The Act applies to all places of work and to all employers, employees and the self-employed.
The 1989 Act is supplemented by a series of regulations. One set of regulations is the European Community (Protection of Workers) (Exposure to Noise) Regulations, 1990. These regulations, which apply to all workers, lay down certain standards and requirements which should be met in order to minimise hearing damage caused by loud noise.
The monitoring and inspection of workplaces is a day-to-day matter for the authority in which I have no direct function. I have been informed by the authority that in 2000 they undertook a specific inspection and awareness raising programme, amongst employers and employees in the entertainment sector, to highlight the risks posed by high noise levels and to ensure that noise exposure levels are measured and recorded as required by the noise regulations. Almost 100 inspections were undertaken, as a result of which a number of advice letters and improvement notices were issued.
This inspection and awareness programme will continue this year and a target of 100 visits to places of entertainment has been set. It is also intended to arrange discussions with industry representatives with the objective of increasing levels of awareness of their obligations to their staff under the noise regulations and to promote compliance with the levels of noise exposure set down in them.