Occupational Hearing Loss Payout of £11,500

A parcel service worker whose hearing was damaged owing to exposure to high levels of noise has won a compensation award of £11,500 from his former employer.

 

The man worked on an airfield transporting parcels. He was exposed to noise from aircraft landing and taxiing to the nearby terminals but was not supplied with any hearing protection.

 

Because of the damage to his hearing the man has difficulty having normal conversations, watching the television and using the telephone. It has also affected his new job as a taxi driver. As well as the deafness, the man has developed tinnitus – a condition where the sufferer experiences buzzing or ringing sounds in the ears. This regularly interferes with his sleep, work and leisure activities.

 

He brought the claim against his former employer who at first denied any liability. However, once evidence of the high levels of noise to which the man had been exposed was presented, he was offered compensation.

 

Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, the level at which an employer must provide hearing protection and hearing protection zones is 85 decibels (daily or weekly average exposure) and the level at which an employer must assess the risk to workers' health and provide them with information and training is 80 decibels. There is also an exposure limit value of 87 decibels, taking account of any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection, above which workers must not be exposed. The Regulations now apply to venues such as pubs, clubs, restaurants and cinemas as well as to sporting events and any other workplace where live or recorded music is played.