Daily Noise Exposure Calculator
Use this calculator to work out daily personal noise exposure, known as LEP,d. Enter the noise level and duration of each task a worker carries out. The calculator combines them, gives you a daily exposure figure in dB(A), and shows whether it sits below the Lower Exposure Action Value (80 dB(A)), at or above the Upper Exposure Action Value (85 dB(A)), or above the Exposure Limit Value (87 dB(A)).
| Task | Noise levelLAeq in dB(A) | Hours(hh) | Minutes(mm) | Pointsper hour | Time to LEAVat this level | Time to UEAVat this level | Task LEP,ddB(A) | Task points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily totals | — | Daily LEP,d | — | — | ||||
Enter values to see the result
Add at least one task with a noise level and exposure time.
How to Use This Calculator
Add a row for each task in the worker’s day. Enter the noise level for that task (an LAeq reading in dB(A) taken from a noise survey) and the time they spend doing it. The calculator works out points per hour, the time it would take that single task to reach the Lower and Upper Exposure Action Values, and the task’s contribution to total daily exposure. At the bottom you’ll see the combined daily LEP,d in dB(A) and total exposure points.
Why Daily Noise Exposure Matters
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 set three thresholds. At 80 dB(A) (the Lower Exposure Action Value) an employer has to provide hearing protection on request and give information and training. At 85 dB(A) (the Upper Exposure Action Value) hearing protection must be worn and a programme of noise control put in place. The 87 dB(A) Exposure Limit Value is measured at the ear, so it accounts for the attenuation of any hearing protection being worn. Exceed it and the law has been broken.
Hearing protection is a stop-gap, not a long-term answer. If your LEP,d is close to or above 85 dB(A), get a proper noise risk assessment done and look at engineering controls at source. Reducing noise where it’s made is almost always cheaper than enclosures or PPE programmes over the working life of the equipment.
This calculator uses the same method as the HSE noise exposure calculator. It’s intended as a guide only. For a formal noise risk assessment or for help engineering noise out at source, get in touch with Advanced Noise Solutions.
About Advanced Noise Solutions
Advanced Noise Solutions is a specialist industrial noise consultancy based in St Albans. For 38 years we’ve helped UK manufacturers solve noise problems where they actually start, at the source, rather than wrapping the whole machine in an acoustic enclosure. Our AcoustiFix methodology typically delivers higher dB reductions than enclosures, at a fraction of the cost, with none of the access, visibility or maintenance trade-offs.
If this calculator has flagged exposures above the action values, or you’re dealing with HSE attention, complaints from neighbours or noise that’s slowing production, we can help. We carry out workplace noise surveys, diagnose the real source, and engineer a targeted fix that brings exposures down without the cost of an acoustic enclosure. Get in touch or call us on 01727 864667 to talk it through.