Industrial deafness in any job isn't a joke as those who have suffered from it will know

John Spellar Armed Forces Minister

A working party of MoD scientists, academics and civilian musicians is considering the implications of last month's report.

Armed Forces Minister John Spellar told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Industrial deafness in any job isn't a joke as those who have suffered from it will know."

He said if the working party found breaches of health and safety regulations, common-sense solutions would be suggested.

'The man from the ministry'

He rejected suggestions that this was reminiscent of 1950s black and white films where the "absurd man from the ministry came round with daft regulations and the whole country laughed".

Military band music is too loud to be heard without earplugs if the Noise at Work Regulations of 1989 are followed to the letter, according to the latest annual report of the MoD's Directorate of Safety, Environment and Fire Policy.

Mr Spellar conceded the report might be "a little over the top".

He said the dangers of noise were of concern in specific cases, such as where soldiers are unable to wear ear protection while shooting rifles because they must be able to hear orders.

'Effectiveness not compromised'

General Sir Michael Rose, formerly in charge of army personnel issues, also told the Today programme there had been a raft of European legislation which had imposed civilian work practices on military environment.

But he did not believe the military's effectiveness had yet been compromised.

News of the MoD report comes one day after Chief of Defence Staff Sir Charles Guthrie was criticised for saying health and safety legislation risked undermining the Armed Forces' effectiveness and that disabled people had no place in the military.

The new health and safety report also confirmed a decrease in the number of military deaths, injuries and claims against the MoD.

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman told BBC Online it took the issue of noise seriously.

However he said: "We have never turned up at a parade ground and asked the army band to stop playing."

He accepted that the exercises carried out by the armed forces had to be realistic.