Hearing loss

What is noise induced hearing loss?

Exposure of your ears, which are obviously very delicate and sensitive, to loud continuous noise whilst in a working environment can lead to hearing loss. Noise Induced Loss is permanent; there is no cure. Many people take their hearing for granted but if your employer has failed to provide the adequate protection then you could be entitled to make a claim.

Symptoms

If you have ever had the volume on too loud with your headphones and suffer with ringing in the ears or an abrupt deafness then you will understand the feeling of hearing loss as a result of noise. If you experience this feeling a daily basis then this could be a sign of permanent damage.

Noise induced hearing loss can be very difficult to notice, but if you are suddenly finding it harder to hear conversations or people complain to you that the TV or music you are playing is too loud, you may be suffering from hearing loss.

Usually we advise that our clients undergo a hearing assessment and if the specialist agrees that you have suffered a form of hearing loss as a result of work then you should contact a solicitor to discuss your options. Alternatively, we can arrange for you to attend a hearing test once we have taken the initial details of your claim and established that your work history indicates continuous and excessive noise exposure. The sooner we are made aware of your case, the sooner it can be dealt with and the hearing loss may be able to be stopped from worsening.

Tinnitus and Noise Exposure

Another condition that is often part of NIHL is tinnitus. This is a condition described as the perception of sound (often buzzing, ringing, or hissing) in the absence of any external stimulus (that is, there is no sound others hear but the tinnitus sufferer does). This essentially takes away the opportunity for the person to experience quiet, and can be very distressing.

Work Environment

Employers are required to put the appropriate measures in place to avoid noise induced damage to their employees. Earphones or earplugs or other noise reducing measures should be on hand and implemented if your occupation exposes you to harmful levels of noise because without these, the noise causes significant damage to the auditory nerves and results in a gradual hearing loss.

The below industries are examples of those known to expose employees to excessive noise thereby increasing the risks of noise induced hearing loss:

• Glass Bottling Lines
• Packaging Machinery
• Blast Chillers/Freezers
• Wheeled Trolleys/Racks
• Sawing/Cutting Machinery
• Pneumatic Noise/Compressed Air

This list is not exhaustive however and so if you work in a continuous and excessive noisy environment and you are suffering from hearing loss then please contact one of our experienced advisors to discuss your potential claim.