Connaught , one of the UK's leading providers of health, safety and environmental consultancy and training, has announced today that they have won a comprehensive contract with East Midlands based airline, bmi.
The contract includes providing health and safety training for bmi Managers on their safety duties and also for staff on manual handling. In addition Connaught will provide noise assessment in the air and on the ground.
The noise assessment tests will be conducted by Connaught's Health, Safety and Environmental Consultant, Dr Alex Hills and as part of the tests, Dr Hills will travel on a number of short, medium and long haul flights using the specialist noise assessment equipment and his own professional experience in occupational hygiene to meet the review compliance with the updated 'Control of Noise at Work' 2005 Regulations.
As part of the tests, some members of both ground and airborne bmi staff may wear noise 'dosimeters', sensitive equipment which will monitor the noise levels they are subjected to throughout the day.
bmi's Health and Safety Risk Manager, Keith Merrie, commented on the new contract,
"The changes to the 'Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005' meant that we needed to ensure that we met the new requirements for the safety of our customers and staff, who are at times subject to high noise levels. However, the risk assessment requires very precise, technical equipment and also highly trained people to assess the results. That is why we chose to work with Connaught, who are able to provide the most up-to-date occupational hygiene equipment along with some of the UK's most highly skilled personnel. We are insistent that our staff deserve to work in an environment which does not have a negative effect on their health".
As part of the test work Dr Hills will travel on scheduled flights to Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam and Chicago as well as testing levels of noise for ground staff and maintenance personnel and he remarked,
"Unlike immediate work injuries such as breaking a leg from a trip or receiving a burn, hearing loss is usually gradual and caused by exposure to high noise levels over a period of time. Some loud noises can be quite painful and the danger is clear. Often however, long periods of exposure to what appear to be moderate levels of noise can cause long term hearing damage. It is important that bmi obtain data for a range of staff exposed to noise in environments such as at aircraft turnaround,, in aeroplanes and in maintenance hangers. This will enable them to determine likely daily noise exposures for their staff and implement effective technical and management controls."
"By working in partnership with the permanent health and safety team at bmi we can assess noise exposure and characterise the noise in order that appropriate hearing protection can be specified. Together we shall ensure that bmi protect their staff from noise hazards and comply with legal standards", he added. | 
