Industrial Deafness Claim? Hearing Loss at Work?
Workplace induced hearing loss?
Deafness compensation award.
Worked in a foundry, mill, mine, shipyard, factory, power station? We specailise in representing workers who have suffered hearing loss and deafness at work due to a noisy workplace.
Contact us NOW for immediate advice on how to begin your hearing loss due to workplace noise compensation claim.
Industrial Deafness is a condition that develops over a period of time where the claimant has been exposed to excessive and often continuous noise levels. Industrial deafness is classified as an occupational illness.
Click here to go to the Health and Safety Executive's audio/visual demonstration of workplace hearing loss.
Click here to got to the Health and Safety Executive's Noise at Work page.
Employers are obliged in law to provide a safe working environment and this of course, includes ensuring that the workforce is not exposed to noise. Some workplaces carry higher risks of developing noise induced hearing loss for example: engineering, metal fabrication, timber mills, weaving and carpet mills, civil engineering construction, power stations, ship building, building and construction, mining and the like.
Click here for the Health and Safety Executive's Health Surveillance for Noise Induced Hearing Loss page.
Excessive noise can damage hearing. Working in a noisy environment can cause hearing difficulties. If hearing is affected because of workplace conditions it is defined as noise induced hearing loss. Typically, employees may have worked for a number of different employers during their working career. If this is the case and it cannot be identified which employer caused the deafness at work, then an action can be instituted against all suitable former employers.
Employers are obliged to lower the noise level wherever possible by using damping and lagging techniques to noisy machinery. They also should limit the exposure in time and volume. Further, all employees who have to work in a noisy environment should be equipped with the appropriate ear defenders.
Quite often, it is the claimant's partner who notices the diminution of hearing loss. The injured person quite often has the televison or radio on far too loud and inadvertently asks for things to be repeated as they have not heard what has been said the first time.
We can deal with all types of compensation claims for industrial deafness, our solicitors are experts in this area of compensation law.
An employer is obliged to make a safe working environment, when this is not the case, this could be for a variety of reasons, and we can demonstrate the hearing loss was developed because of poor standards of safety it is possible to make a compensation claim, which is brought against the firm’s employers’ liability insurance.
To read our safe system of work page, click here.
Click here for the Direct gov page on Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (diseases and deafness)
Workplace noise exposure is governed by the Control of Noise at Work Regulation 2005, click here to read.
4.—(1) The lower exposure action values are—
(a)a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 80 dB (A-weighted); and
(b)a peak sound pressure of 135 dB (C-weighted).
(2) The upper exposure action values are—
(a)a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 85 dB (A-weighted); and
(b)a peak sound pressure of 137 dB (C-weighted).
(3) The exposure limit values are—
(a)a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 87 dB (A-weighted); and
(b)a peak sound pressure of 140 dB (C-weighted).
(4) Where the exposure of an employee to noise varies markedly from day to day, an employer may use weekly personal noise exposure in place of daily personal noise exposure for the purpose of compliance with these Regulations.
(5) In applying the exposure limit values in paragraph (3), but not in applying the lower and upper exposure action values in paragraphs (1) and (2), account shall be taken of the protection given to the employee by any personal hearing protectors provided by the employer in accordance with regulation 7(2).
Click here to go to the Health and Safety Executive's Noise at Work, Guidance for Employers on the Control of Noise at Work.
If you feel that your have hearing loss, contact your GP, who will arrange an audiology test. If you already have been diagnose with work induced hearing loss and deafness, please telephone us immediately for free advice on Freephone 0800 169 3683.
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