BS 5228:2009 – What Contractors Need to Know
BS 5228:2009+A1:2014 is the British Standard Code of Practice for Noise and Vibration Control on Construction and Open Sites. It is the primary technical guidance that councils, contractors, and courts refer to when assessing construction noise.
What is BS 5228?
BS 5228 is split into two parts:
- Part 1: Noise – covers noise prediction, assessment, and control measures
- Part 2: Vibration – covers vibration from construction activities
It is not a legal requirement in itself, but it is approved as a code of practice under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and is referenced in local planning conditions, making it effectively the benchmark on most significant sites.
Key Principles
1. Noise Prediction
Before work begins, contractors should predict noise levels at nearby sensitive receptors (homes, schools, hospitals) using guidance in BS 5228. This informs the Construction Management Plan (CMP).
2. Best Practicable Means (BPM)
Contractors are expected to use Best Practicable Means to minimise noise. BS 5228 provides the framework for what BPM looks like in practice:
- Selecting quieter plant and equipment
- Acoustic screening close to the noisiest plant and at site boundaries
- Scheduling the noisiest work during daytime hours only
- Regular maintenance of equipment
3. Assessing Significance (the ABC method)
BS 5228-1 Annex E gives an example method for judging whether construction noise is significant at a home. It compares predicted construction noise with the existing ambient level. Daytime thresholds (weekdays 07:00–19:00, Saturdays 07:00–13:00, LAeq at the facade) are:
| Category | Existing ambient level | Daytime threshold |
|---|---|---|
| A | Quietest areas | 65 dB |
| B | Ambient about 5 dB above Category A | 70 dB |
| C | Ambient equal to or above Category B | 75 dB |
Lower thresholds apply in evenings, at weekends and at night. Your council may set its own limits through a Section 60 notice or Section 61 consent.
4. Notification to Neighbours
Best practice under BS 5228 includes notifying nearby residents in advance of particularly noisy work, giving them the site manager’s contact details.
Section 61 Prior Consent
Contractors carrying out significant works are strongly advised to apply for Section 61 Prior Consent from the local council before starting. This formalises agreement on working hours, methods, and noise limits — providing legal protection against a Section 60 notice if complaints arise.
General guidance, not legal advice. Supported by Hushtec, a New Zealand manufacturer of temporary acoustic barriers with a UK manufacturing site in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, where its Performance and Premium panels are made.