Protect Your Team
Reduce Absences
Stay Compliant
HSE Fines Are Rare,
Compensation Claims Aren't.
75% of noisy workplaces failed the 2024/25 HSE inspection campaign. But it's not fines that hurt most employers, it's civil claims from employees with noise-induced hearing loss.
Courts are now awarding damages for "hidden hearing loss", damage that doesn't show on a standard audiogram. The burden of proof has shifted: if you can't demonstrate your hearing protection actually works, you're exposed.
What HSE Found (2024/25)
Employers who hadn't verified PPE effectiveness - 95%
Sites relying solely on PPE without noise reduction - 63%
Workplaces failing compliance - 75%
Free - Confidential - Instant
The Pioneer Making Workplace Hearing Tests Simple
Mark Ashmore (RHAD, MIOA) revolutionised UK workplace hearing surveillance with 30 years' experience in the hearing arena serving and more recently on British Standards committees for hearing protection (PH/7) and acoustics hearing committee(EH/1).
Realising that take up of hearing health surveillance was hampered by cost, accessibility and logistic concerns Mark created something radical: the UK's first self-service audiometric testing system that anyone can use.
His patented "Turn-up & Test" solution:
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Sends a complete testing kit to your workplace
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Designed to enable a nominated individual within your company to run tests with minimal training – the test is intuitive
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Works 24/7 - perfect for night shifts, weekends, new starters
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Includes expert review - Mark's team personally reviews every single test result
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Delivers instant compliance - UKCA certified, MHRA registered, fully HSE compliant
The calibrated headset connects to any computer. Your staff follow simple on-screen instructions. Results are emailed instantly. Mark's team reviews everything and provides HSE-compliant documentation.
Establish compliant hearing baselines for every new starter. Pre-calibrated headset connects to any PC enabling your nominated individual to run the test for every new starter at induction. Fully compliant with Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Results instantly documented for HSE records.
Verify your hearing protection actually works. Test confirms each employee's earplugs deliver the required attenuation - no more guessing if PPE is effective. The test takes less than five minutes and immediately identifies where effectiveness is reduced due to poor insertion. Pass/fail results prove effectiveness and protect against industrial deafness claims.
Your complete workplace audiometric hearing health surveillance solution. Patented 'Turn-up & Test' system needs no qualifications or audiologist involvement. Test night shifts, weekends, remote sites - whenever suits your operation. UKCA marked, MHRA registered. The only self-service system that guarantees HSE compliance.
Not Sure Which Test You Need?
Our free quick compliance check identifies exactly what testing your workplace requires. Results display straight away - no waiting, no email sign-up, no sales pressure.
Just clear guidance to help you keep your workers safe.
All responses are confidential and never shared outside H4TLT.
Your Questions Answered
Industrial deafness (noise-induced hearing loss, or NIHL
Industrial deafness (noise-induced hearing loss, or NIHL) claims can cost employers many thousands of pounds, and the total financial impact is often far higher than the compensation pay-out alone. Compensation varies depending on severity.
It can be anything from £5,000 to over £75,000 for NIHL claims with higher awards for severe bilateral hearing loss, hearing loss combined with tinnitus, younger claimants and cases requiring hearing aids.
The compensation pay-out is only part of the cost. Employers typically also face further costs including solicitors, medical reports, and expert evidence which can add £3,000–£10,000+ per claim.
Insurers raise premiums after NIHL claims, especially if there is poor documentation, no hearing tests were done or noise controls were inadequate.
NIHL claims often come in batches because workers share similar exposure and claims management companies target entire departments. A single noisy department can generate dozens of claims, multiplying the cost.
H4TLT can help provide a legally robust defence by evidencing baseline hearing tests, annual hearing tests and earplug fit tests. Use our Compliance Checker to see if you need to do anything. The best protection is to be able to evidence a fully compliant noise-management and hearing-surveillance programme.
Defending a noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) claim
Defending a noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) claim depends almost entirely on your evidence. Courts and insurers look for proof that you assessed the risk, controlled it, monitored workers' hearing, and complied with the Noise at Work Regulations.
Employers must show the noise risk was managed by conducting a full noise survey with measured dB(A)/dB(C) levels, identifying workers exposed above action values, mapping noisy areas and repeating the assessments at reasonable intervals.
Courts want proof that PPE was provided and enforced. This means providing records of hearing protection issued (models, SNR ratings), fit-testing or suitability checks, replacement logs, PPE policies and enforcement procedures and signage for hearing protection zones.
You will need to provide hearing health surveillance records which include baseline hearing tests, follow-up audiometry (annual/3-yearly), categorisation (1–4), referral letters, evidence employees were informed of results and records of action taken when deterioration was detected.
Courts will look for evidence that you tried to reduce noise at source using engineering controls (enclosures, damping, quieter tools) and that you maintained logs. This supports your duty to take reasonable steps to protect employees from harmful noise.
You must show evidence your workers were informed about the risks. Collect records of noise awareness training, PPE training, induction records, toolbox talks and signed attendance sheets.
H4TLT enables you to evidence baseline hearing tests, annual hearing tests and earplug fit tests. Use our Compliance Checker to see if you need to do anything. The best protection is to be able to evidence a fully compliant noise-management and hearing-surveillance programme.
Employees can sue for hearing loss at work
Yes — employees can sue for hearing loss at work. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is treated as an industrial disease, and workers can bring a civil compensation claim if they believe their employer failed to protect their hearing.
Employees can bring a claim for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) if they can show they were exposed to excessive noise at work, the employer failed to follow the Noise at Work Regulations and they now have tinnitus or hearing loss which is consistent with noise exposure. If proved they are entitled to compensation.
H4TLT can help provide a legally robust defence by evidencing baseline hearing tests, annual hearing tests and earplug fit tests.
Use our Compliance Checker to see if you need to do anything. The best protection is to be able to evidence a fully compliant noise-management and hearing-surveillance programme.
There are no minimum employee numbers for workplace hearing testing
There are no minimum employee numbers for workplace hearing testing under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. If even one employee is exposed to noise levels that trigger health surveillance, you are legally required to provide hearing tests for that individual.
A small workshop with 3 employees may still need hearing tests whereas a large site may only need to test specific roles. A single maintenance engineer exposed to high noise still triggers the requirement. The law is based on risk, not company size.
Providers vary, but H4TLT-style self-service testing is usually cost-effective even for very small numbers because there's no van call-out fee, no minimum booking size and no travel charges.
Mobile vans often require minimum headcounts (10–20 workers) resulting in higher per-person costs for small groups. Use our Compliance Checker to get an exact quote.
Self-service audiometry models like H4TLT are almost always cheaper
Self-service audiometry models like H4TLT are almost always cheaper than mobile hearing-test vans. A typical cost per employee from a mobile van provider is £40 - £70 per test depending on numbers. H4TLT typically charges £15 to a maximum of £50 per test depending on numbers. To get an exact quote use our online Compliance Checker.
Mobile service charges sometimes exclude travel charges, extra charges for evenings/weekends, admin/reporting fees, referral fees and there may be minimum call out fees so the final cost per employee can end up significantly higher.
The H4TLT service is more cost effective because no audiologist is physically required on site. This means tests can be carried out 24 hours a day, seven days a week without incurring any of the time or extra charges that may arise with physical provision on-site.
An employer can be fined for failing to provide workplace hearing tests
Yes — an employer can be fined for failing to provide workplace hearing tests when they are legally required under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
HSE guidance makes clear that employers must provide regular hearing checks, keep health records, and ensure workers are examined by a doctor where hearing damage is identified. If you don't do this when noise levels trigger the requirement, you are in breach of the Regulations and that opens the door to enforcement action.
Regulation 9 requires employers to provide hearing checks when workers are at risk. The HSE explicitly states that health surveillance for hearing includes regular hearing checks, telling employees their results, keeping health records and ensuring medical referral where needed. If you don't do this, you are failing to comply with a statutory duty.
HSE can issue improvement notices (requiring you to fix the issue), prohibition notices (stopping noisy work until controls are in place) or prosecute for serious or persistent breaches. Fines for health and safety offences in the UK are unlimited in the Magistrates' and Crown Courts.
Insurance claims become harder to defend if you cannot show evidence of noise risk assessments, hearing test records, PPE enforcement and training. Your insurer may still pay the claim, but you may face increased premiums or excesses, and the HSE may investigate.
Civil claims become more likely without hearing test records. Without hearing test records, it is much harder to prove when hearing loss occurred, whether it happened during employment and whether you took reasonable steps to prevent it.
If your workers are exposed to noise at or above the action values, engaging with H4TLT will ensure you do not break the law, expose yourself to HSE enforcement and will provide a robust defence in the event of costly NIHL claims.
Mandatory hearing tests are required when workers are exposed at or above the Upper Exposure Action Value (85 dB(A))
You need to provide hearing tests when an employee's noise exposure reaches levels where their hearing is at risk, as defined in the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
Mandatory hearing tests are required when workers are exposed at or above the Upper Exposure Action Value (85 dB(A)) or regularly or frequently exposed to peak noise at or above 137 dB(C). There are also levels of noise exposure which must not be exceeded. These exposure limit values are daily or weekly exposure of 87 dB(A) and peak sound pressure of 140 dB(C).
Even occasional exposure above 85 dB(A) or 137 dB(C) triggers mandatory surveillance if there is any concern that controls may not be effective.
Workers between the lower and upper levels (80–85 dB(A)) are also at risk.
The Noise Health Surveillance guidance also states that surveillance is required for workers exposed between the lower and upper exposure limit values if their health may be at particular risk from noise. This includes workers with early signs of hearing loss and workers with a history of ear problems.
Use the H4TLT compliance checker to see if you need to have a noise survey carried out.
Health and safety offences carry unlimited fines in both Magistrates' and Crown Courts.
Non‑compliance with the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 can lead to serious legal, financial, and operational consequences including unlimited fines, improvement notices, prohibition notices, prosecution, civil claims for Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), and reputational/operational damage.
In the UK, health and safety offences carry unlimited fines in both Magistrates' and Crown Courts. This applies to failures such as not carrying out noise risk assessments, not providing hearing protection at 85 dB(A) and above, not providing mandatory hearing tests (health surveillance), not controlling noise exposure and not training employees. Courts consider the level of risk created, the size of the business, whether harm occurred and whether the breach was deliberate or negligent. Large companies have been fined hundreds of thousands of pounds for noise breaches.
The HSE can issue an Improvement Notice requiring you to fix the problem within a set timeframe. This is common when noise assessments are missing or outdated, hearing protection zones are not enforced and health surveillance is not in place. Failure to comply with the notice is a criminal offence.
If the HSE believes workers are at immediate risk of hearing damage, they can issue a Prohibition Notice, which can stop noisy work immediately until controls are implemented. This can halt production and cause major operational disruption.
Serious or repeated breaches can lead to prosecution. Conviction can result in unlimited fines, a criminal record for the company and in extreme cases criminal liability for directors or managers. Noise breaches are treated seriously because hearing damage is irreversible.
If you fail to comply with the Regulations, you are far more likely to lose civil claims for NIHL and without records it becomes very difficult to defend yourself.
This can lead to large compensation pay-outs, increased insurance premiums and insurers refusing to cover future claims.
Non‑compliance can also lead to negative publicity, loss of contracts (especially in construction and manufacturing), increased scrutiny from regulators and stricter insurance requirements.
Engaging with H4TLT will help you avoid the possibility of unlimited fines, enforcement notices, prosecution, civil claims, operational shutdowns and reputational damage.
Health surveillance is also required when workers are exposed between 80 and 85 dB(A)
Mandatory hearing tests at work are triggered when workers are exposed to noise levels that create a risk of hearing damage, as defined in the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
Health surveillance (hearing tests) becomes mandatory when workers are exposed to 85 dB(A) daily or weekly average or 137 dB(C) peak sound pressure.
HSE guidelines define 85 dB(A) as the level at which employers must provide hearing protection and designate hearing protection zones.
Even if exposure is not daily, hearing tests are required when workers are occasionally exposed above 85 dB(A) or 137 dB(C) and there is concern that controls may not be effective.
Health surveillance is also required when workers are exposed between 80 and 85 dB(A) and are at particular risk (e.g., early hearing changes, high‑risk tasks, medical vulnerability).
Use the H4TLT Compliance Checker to see if you need to undertake a noise risk assessment.
H4TLT typically charges between £15 per test
Costs for workplace hearing tests vary a lot across the industry. Typical costs vary according to the type of provider. Mobile audiometry vans are typically £35–£55 per test, clinic based audiometry around £40–£70 per test and large OH companies charge anything from £50 to £90 per test depending on numbers. H4TLT typically charges between £15 per test to a maximum of £50 per test depending on numbers. To get an exact quote use our online Compliance Checker.
Mobile service charges sometimes exclude travel charges, extra charges for evenings/weekends, admin/reporting fees, referral fees and there may be minimum call out fees so the final cost per employee can end up significantly higher.
The H4TLT service is more cost effective because no audiologist is physically required on-site. This means tests can be carried out 24 hours a day, seven days a week without incurring any of the time or extra charges that may arise with physical provision on-site.
H4TLT's model is designed to fit around production schedules rather than disrupt them
Yes. The H4TLT system can be used to carry out workplace hearing tests on night shifts, weekends, and other non‑standard hours. Nothing in HSE guidance restricts hearing surveillance to daytime, and H4TLT's model is designed to fit around production schedules rather than disrupt them.
With the H4TLT headset and thirty minutes training for whoever you nominate to take responsibility for testing you will be able to test anytime and anywhere that suits you. No audiologist is required and the headset is lightweight and portable so you can easily test in different locations. All you need is the headset and a Wi-Fi enabled computer/tablet with a soundcard and USB port.
"The H4TLT system is, as far as I know, the only self-serve hearing test system which makes this possible by complying with all three British Standards. It is also the only one in the world that facilitates accessible earplug fit testing " - Mark Ashmore RHAD MIOA
Hear 4 The Long Term uses patented technology
No. H4TLT uses patented technology which fully automates the test process and complies with British Standards. In addition the software is UKCA certified and MHRA registered as a class 4 audiometer. It delivers fully HSE compliant hearing health surveillance with no audiologist physically on‑site.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 obligate employers to provide hearing tests and ongoing surveillance and "hearing test" means pure tone audiometry.
Two Standards apply to the delivery of a hearing test:
Audiometers must be calibrated to BS EN 60645-1:2017, using RETSPLs from BS EN ISO 389-8:2004 and delivery of a test must comply with BS EN ISO 8253-1:2010.
The H4TLT system complies with these regulations thereby rendering the operator redundant.
Results are reviewed by a competent professional who also makes medical referrals. If required we can also assist with production of annual anonymised reports.
"The H4TLT system is, as far as I know, the only self-serve hearing test system which complies with all three British Standards. It is also the only one in the world that facilitates accessible earplug fit testing." – Mark Ashmore RHAD MIOA
The H4TLT headset can test workers' hearing on any shift, including nights
H4TLT offers a complete hearing conservation package from baseline hearing testing through annual hearing testing to earplug fit testing. No audiologist is required for the hearing tests and the fit test is not available anywhere else. Mobile vans rely on a trained operator to carry out the hearing tests and very few (if any) can do fit testing.
Both types of provider are able to offer compliant hearing testing, categorisation, medical referrals and record keeping guidance that is aligned with Regulation 9 of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations although the onus is on you as the duty holder to ensure the provider is fit to offer the service. To see what is required take a look at the FAQ "What does Regulation 9 of The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require?" in HSE Hearing Tests.
The H4TLT headset can test workers' hearing on any shift, including nights, or at induction which is particularly useful for companies with a high turnover of staff. It works around production schedules with no need to bring workers to a van at fixed times.
Mobile vans or on-site services with an audiologist usually operate on fixed daytime schedules, meaning workers must be brought to the van which can be disruptive.
H4TLT focuses on cost effective, convenient, HSE compliant, legally defensible, high‑quality hearing surveillance and accessible, easy to use earplug fit testing. A good mobile van provider will tick the HSE compliant, legally defensible, high quality hearing surveillance boxes but cannot compete with the flexibility of the H4TLT test or offer the fit test.
We send you the H4TLT headset and a link to the test products you want to use
You can usually start H4TLT workplace hearing testing very quickly after signing up because the service doesn't rely on mobile vans or fixed clinic slots. We send you the H4TLT headset and a link to the test products you want to use, schedule a thirty minute training session and you're good to go.
This is much faster than traditional mobile audiometry vans, which often book out weeks in advance and can be useful if your need is urgent as a result of HSE advice for example.
Given we rely on couriers to get the headset to you as opposed to scheduling an audiologist to physically attend your place of work, I believe we can stake a reasonable claim to being able to offer the fastest service in the market.