⏱️ Estimated reading time: 11 min
Key Takeaways
Warehouse ear plugs only make sense once you know which part of the building is loud. A pick face can sit near 80 dB(A), while a trailer being loaded at the dock passes 90 dB(A). Most workers move between those zones several times a shift.
On one forklift operators’ forum, the loudest complaint was not the trucks at all but Bluetooth speakers on the cabs drowning out travel alarms. “If you can’t hear your surroundings, the music should go,” one driver wrote. HSE’s occupational deafness statistics estimate that 15,000 workers in Great Britain have work-related hearing problems (LFS 2022/23–2024/25).
At Bollsen, we are a hearing protection company founded in 2016 and trusted by 1,000,000+ people. This guide covers earplugs for work on the warehouse floor, zone by zone and under UK law. Our hub on earplugs for work compares protection across trades, from building sites to factory lines.
How loud is a warehouse, zone by zone?
A typical warehouse runs at roughly 80–95 dB(A), from about 80–85 dB(A) in a pick tower and 85 dB(A) at a forklift seat to 80–88 dB(A) along conveyor and sortation lines and 90 dB(A) or more at a loading dock during trailer loading.
These are typical figures. Truck type, floor surface and roller condition all move the number, so your employer’s noise risk assessment is the measurement that counts.
| Warehouse zone | Typical level, dB(A) | HSE SNR band | What it means on shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forklift or reach truck seat | about 85 | SNR 20 or less (85–90) | Upper action value reached on long driving stretches; a high rating can over-protect |
| Conveyor and sortation line | 80–88 | Below 85: protection offered on request; 85–88: SNR 20 or less | Often the zone that tips a whole shift over 85 dB(A) |
| Loading dock and trailer loading | 90 and above | SNR 20–30 (90–95) | Plugs in for every loading stretch; above 95 dB(A) the band moves up again |
| Pick tower or mezzanine | about 80–85 | Below 85: protection offered from 80 | Usually lower, but conveyor-fed levels vary, so measure your own site |
Does intermittent noise count towards the daily limit?
Intermittent noise counts in full, because UK law measures daily personal noise exposure (LEP,d) across the whole shift, and under the 3 dB exchange rate every 3 dB rise halves the safe time, so 85 dB(A) allows 8 hours, 88 allows 4, 91 allows 2 and 94 allows 1.
Two hours at a 91 dB(A) dock, with the rest of the day silent, equals a full eight-hour day at 85 dB(A). Six hours on a truck at 85 dB(A) plus two on the dock at 91 comes out near 87.4 dB(A) before protection is counted. A 12-hour shift at a steady 85 dB(A) lands at about 86.8 dB(A).
HSE’s noise exposure ready-reckoner adds up mixed days like these. Forklifts also appear in our answer to how loud are power tools, where each machine is listed against its dB(A) level. Our guide to how loud are power tools (decibel chart) gives the time each tool and vehicle takes to use up the 85 dB(A) daily dose.
Those totals decide what your employer must do. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, set out in regulation 4, put the lower action value at 80 dB(A) and the upper one at 85 dB(A), with a limit of 87 dB(A) at the ear and peaks of 135, 137 and 140 dB(C). Our explainer on the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 covers why 80 means protection offered and 85 means protection enforced.
Can you wear earplugs while driving a forklift?
You can wear earplugs on a forklift where the noise assessment requires them, as long as the protection is sized so the level at your ear stays around 70–80 dB(A), the target in HSE’s L108 guidance, and never below 70 dB(A), which HSE treats as over-protection.
Forklift trainers often tell new starters that plugs are dangerous because you cannot hear other trucks or pedestrians. HSE’s hearing protection guidance answers the real concern, which is too much protection rather than any protection. A protector that drops the level below 70 dB at the ear leaves people feeling isolated, and they take it out.
At an 85 dB(A) seat, an SNR 24 plug lands near 61 dB(A) on paper, or about 65 once HSE’s 4 dB real-world allowance is applied. That is under the floor, so at the seat the useful question is how much hearing protection do I need, and a lower-rated plug suits long driving stretches. Our guide to how much hearing protection do I need shows how to match an SNR to a measured level.
A horn, a reversing alarm or a fire alarm stays audible through correctly sized protection because it is loud, not because a filter passes it through. Test horns and alarms with the plugs people actually wear, and ask your safety lead what hearing a fire alarm with earplugs in looks like on your site. Our article on hearing a fire alarm with earplugs in explains when visual beacons should back up audible warnings in noisy buildings.
Awareness is also designed into the building. HSE’s guidance on separating pedestrians and vehicles asks for separate routes wherever possible and marked walkways inside buildings. Marked routes, mirrors and hearing protection zones and signage do more for pedestrian safety than bare ears, and a speaker on the cab undoes all of it.
Which earplugs suit rotating and 12-hour warehouse shifts?
Reusable silicone earplugs suit rotating warehouse shifts because you take them out on a quiet pick face and refit them at the dock several times a shift, whereas foam plugs are single-use and need rolling down with clean hands every time.
Cold docks in winter make foam slower to expand, and gloves make rolling it fiddly, which is where reusable vs foam vs banded earplugs for work becomes a practical choice. Our comparison of reusable vs foam vs banded earplugs for work weighs fit, hygiene and cost per shift for each format. Comfort over 12 hours is a separate question, answered in is it safe to wear earplugs all day at work.
Night-shift pickers face a second noise problem when they sleep through a daytime street. Earplugs for sleeping after a night shift have different needs from the dock, and our guide to earplugs for sleeping after a night shift covers daytime rest for rotating rotas. If you notice ringing or muffled hearing after a shift, speak to your GP.
Where does WorkPRO fit on a warehouse floor?
WorkPRO is a passive reusable silicone earplug rated SNR 24 dB (H 24 / M 21 / L 19) under EN 352-2, and it sits inside HSE’s SNR 20–30 band for 90–95 dB(A) noise, the level of trailer loading, tray dumps and busy sortation peaks.
Its attenuation rises with frequency, so it takes more off a conveyor’s high whine than off a truck’s low rumble. It is not electronic and not noise cancelling. The low-profile yellow design is patented and fits under ear defenders, and WorkPRO is German-tested, independently certified 24 dB hearing protection.
For dock and loading stretches, our WorkPRO earplugs (SNR 24 dB, £29.95) come with a 40-day money-back guarantee and go back in the case at the pick face. In the 80–88 dB(A) zones, the plug goes in for the loud stretches and your employer’s assessment decides the rest.
Other trades face different noise, and earplugs for construction workers deal with breakers rather than conveyors. On building sites rather than in sheds, our guide to earplugs for construction workers matches each site task to its protection band.
How do you kit out a whole warehouse team?
This article is the guide to warehouse noise and protection by zone, while warehouse managers buying for a whole shift order in bulk through a separate business page built for team quantities rather than single pairs.
Employers must provide protection once daily exposure reaches 80 dB(A), and must make sure it is worn in zones at 85 dB(A) and above. Site and logistics managers can order WorkPRO for warehouse teams (bulk orders) there, so every picker and driver has a pair before the first trailer backs onto the dock.
Match the plug to the zone, not the job title. A forklift seat at 85 dB(A) needs light protection, while a dock at 90–95 dB(A) fits an SNR 24 plug. Count every loud stretch towards the daily dose.
Keep a pair in your hi-vis pocket. Your hearing has to outlast every shift you work.
His connection to hearing protection stems from personal experience with sound sensitivity during live events and work in noisy environments, an issue that made him more aware of the long-term risks of unmanaged noise exposure. Today, as both a communicator and a user of BOLLSEN products, he is passionate about raising awareness around the importance of proactive hearing care.
At BOLLSEN, he develops data-driven marketing campaigns, writes SEO-focused articles, and manages communication channels that connect customers with practical knowledge about hearing protection. His work ensures that BOLLSEN’s message—prioritizing health, performance, and sustainability reaches a global audience in an engaging and trustworthy way.
Passionate about writing since childhood, Timotej combines creativity with a strong analytical approach, continuously testing new ideas in digital marketing, performance advertising, and social media. He believes in learning through innovation and collaboration, balancing leadership with openness to new perspectives.
Beyond his professional role, Timotej is committed to a healthy lifestyle and finds inspiration in fitness, sports, and quality time with friends. His personal passion for well-being aligns with BOLLSEN’s core values, making his work not only a career but also a cause he deeply believes in.