Noise that does not damage hearing can still be a psychosocial hazard by making it hard to communicate, concentrate and complete tasks, causing psychological harm such as anxiety or depression or physical harm such as fatigue-related injury or cardiovascular disease; psychosocial hazards interact, so noise may raise the risk from high job demands or harmful behaviour and should be considered together with other hazards such as poor support. Safe levels for these effects are not settled, but as a guide the risk is minimised by keeping noise below 50 dB(A) where work needs high concentration or effortless conversation and below 70 dB(A) for more routine work needing speed, attentiveness or conversation, including noise from other work nearby. The Code of Practice on managing psychosocial hazards gives further guidance.
The graph holds this control, the 0 it maps to, and the evidence behind each claim, over MCP and REST.