Convention concerning the Protection of Workers against Occupational Hazards in the Working Environment Due to Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration (ILO Working Environment Convention, 1977 (No. 148))

Article 8
1. The competent authority shall establish criteria for determining the hazards of exposure to air pollution, noise and vibration in the working environment and, where appropriate, shall specify exposure limits on the basis of these criteria.
2. In the elaboration of the criteria and the determination of the exposure limits the competent authority shall take into account the opinion of technically competent persons designated by the most representative organisations of employers and workers concerned.
3. The criteria and exposure limits shall be established, supplemented and revised regularly in the light of current national and international knowledge and data, taking into account as far as possible any increase in occupational hazards resulting from simultaneous exposure to several harmful factors at the workplace.

Article 9
As far as possible, the working environment shall be kept free from any hazard due to air pollution, noise or vibration–

(a) by technical measures applied to new plant or processes in design or installation, or added to existing plant or processes; or, where this is not possible,
(b) by supplementary organisational measures.

Article 10
Where the measures taken in pursuance of Article 9 do not bring air pollution, noise and vibration in the working environment within the limits specified in pursuance of Article 8, the employer shall provide and maintain suitable personal protective equipment. The employer shall not require a worker to work without the personal protective equipment provided in pursuance of this Article.

Article 11
1. There shall be supervision at suitable intervals, on conditions and in circumstances determined by the competent authority, of the health of workers exposed or liable to be exposed to occupational hazards due to air pollution, noise or vibration in the working environment. Such supervision shall include a pre-assignment medical examination and periodical examinations, as determined by the competent authority.
2. The supervision provided for in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be free of cost to the worker concerned.
3. Where continued assignment to work involving exposure to air pollution, noise or vibration is found to be medically inadvisable, every effort shall be made, consistent with national practice and conditions, to provide the worker concerned with suitable alternative employment or to maintain his income through social security measures or otherwise.
4. In implementing this Convention, the rights of workers under social security or social insurance legislation shall not be adversely affected.

Article 12
The use of processes, substances, machinery and equipment, to be specified by the competent authority, which involve exposure of workers to occupational hazards in the working environment due to air pollution, noise or vibration, shall be notified to the competent authority and the competent authority, as appropriate, may authorise the use on prescribed conditions or prohibit it.

Article 13
All persons concerned shall be adequately and suitably–

(a) informed of potential occupational hazards in the working environment due to air pollution, noise and vibration; and
(b) instructed in the measures available for the prevention and control of, and protection against, those hazards.

Article 14
Measures taking account of national conditions and resources shall be taken to promote research in the field of prevention and control of hazards in the working environment due to air pollution, noise and vibration.