Hearing loss and tinnitus can be debilitating. Employers are legally obliged to ensure your health and safety and it is only correct that in the circumstance that you suffer from deafness plausibly caused from noise exposure at work, you exercise your legal right to claim industrial deafness compensation. This problem affects quality of life, enjoyment of music, radio, theatre, and television. It affects family life – the hustle and bustle of children and family celebrations become muted, and it affects work – many jobs require good hearing and hearing loss may incur the need for a potentially detrimental job change or change of responsibilities.
The process of noise effecting hearing is not directly understood, but physicians are aware that noise does fundamentally damage the eardrum with a detrimental affect on hearing. So which workers are at risk and most likely to be able to claim industrial deafness compensation? Those who use power tools are particularly vulnerable: those in construction, those who work with metal, stone, wood, drills or those in quarries. Or those who use machinery in textiles, the printing industry, transport or farming. Any noise above 90dB is liable to cause hearing damage, and measurement apparatus is available to reveal just how loud noise you face at work is. In many cases, hearing loss will be caused by exposure to substantial noise over a significant period of time; in other circumstances this exposure need not be so long-term: just a short burst of very high levels of noise may cause damage.
Hearing loss is not the only symptom of a noisy occupational environment. Tinnitus may also, or alternatively, result. Tinnitus is a condition in which the sufferer hears noise that is not produced by anything outside the sufferer him or herself. Tinnitus usually takes the form of whistling or buzzing sound, and is liable to be distressing and annoying for the sufferer. It is known that some sufferers are aware of their tinnitus and simply tolerate it, but a hard-nosed approach like this is strange indeed. Tinnitus is a real condition that affects hearing, and can potentially affect the quality of life in a similar way to hearing loss.
So what should employers be doing to prevent tinnitus and industrial deafness compensation claims? They should undertake assessments of noise levels and act on the findings. They are required to ensure that the use of tools and machines which create excessive noise is limited to as few employees as possible, and when employees must be exposed to it, they should ensure appropriate preventative and damage-limitation equipment is used. Ear plugs and muffs are commonly used, as are industrial ear protectors.
If you would like to speak to a specialist solicitor who only deals with personal injury claims you can either use the 24/7 helpline or complete the form or just email us. Compensation is paid in full with no deductions. You do not have to fund or finance your claim. Our claims are completely risk free. If after talking to us you decide not to take matters further then you are under no obligation to do so and you will not be charged for our advice.
