Handling and restraint facilities should be designed and operated to minimise noise during use.

Unavoidable background noise from, for example, ventilation equipment, should be minimised, and sudden noises should be avoided.

If so, how could the appropriate balance be achieved between the need to generate energy efficiency gains and the objective of limiting new administrative burdens to the minimum possible?

(11) The Directive is in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty, since the objective of enhancing the environmental effectiveness of noise charges cannot be sufficiently achieved by Member States, because various systems of noise classification are used for charging purposes. The objective can therefore, be better achieved by the Community by way of a harmonised framework for the calculation of noise charges. The Directive confines itself to the minimum required in order to achieve this objective and does not go beyond what is necessary for that purpose.

1. Taking account of technical progress and of the availability of measures to control the risk at source, the risks arising from exposure to noise shall be eliminated at their source or reduced to a minimum.

adequate information and training to instruct workers to use work equipment correctly in order to reduce their exposure to noise to a minimum;