AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

INSPECTION OF MACHINERY REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

No. 5 of 1986

The Inspection of Machinery Regulations (Amendment) (“the Amending Regulations”) amends the Inspection of Machinery Regulations (“the Principal Regulations”) to introduce new measures for the protection of workers’ hearing.

This is done by:

1.	Introducing the concept of “noise dose” which allows an assessment of the noise encountered in the work place during the course of a working day; and

2.	Restricting the maximum noise allowed in the work place to 115dB.

Regulation 1 of the Amending Regulations amends the definitions of “occupier” and “premises” contained in Regulation 4 of the Principal Regulations so that a person who has the general management of machinery on premises is subject to these controls even if the machinery is only on the premises on a temporary basis.

Regulation 2 of the Amending Regulations modifies Regulation 22B of the Principal Regulations as follows:

(a)	Regulation (1) is omitted and a new sub-regulation (1) is added which provides that a worker shall not be required to perform work where:

•	the daily noise dose is greater than 0.33; or
•	the A weighted sound pressure level exceeds 115dB.

	The human ear does not respond to all frequencies of sound.  The actual noise recorded by a sound level meter is adjusted in accordance with a frequency weighting standard known as the A frequency weighting curve to produce a measurement of what the human ear would respond to.  This is known as the A weighted sound pressure level.

(b)	A new sub-regulation (4) is added which provides for the means by which the daily noise does is to be calculated by reference to the appropriate Australian standards.

(c)	A new sub-regulation (5) is added which provides for the means by which the A weighted sound pressure level shall be calculated by reference to the appropriate Australian standards.

(d)	A new sub-regulation (6) is added which provides that the relevant Australian standards are those in existence at the date of making the Amending Regulations.

(e)	A new sub-regulation (7) is added which defines the various scientific terms used in the regulation.

Reg         /86