Industrial Deafness
Deterioration of a person’s hearing over a period of time due to their working environment is known as industrial deafness or occupational deafness. People are put at risk of industrial deafness in many working environments including engineering, factories, and anywhere that noisy machinery is used. Losing your hearing is totally life changing and the transition is a great one. Claiming personal injury compensation for deafness can go some way towards living a full life and alleviating any upheaval.
Who is responsible for Industrial Deafness?
According to data collected by the European Commission, noise induced illness is the third most important industrial illness in the European Community after pneumoconiosis and dermatitis. It has been estimated that over 1.5 million people in Britain are presently exposed to high levels of noise at work (>80 dBA throughout the day). The Noise at Work Act 1989 defines rules concerning health and safety in the workplace and was introduced to prevent more cases of Industrial Deafness.
Under the legislation, an employer must arrange for a noise assessment to be performed whenever an employee is possibly going to be exposed to, or above the First or Peak Action Level. The aims of the assessment are to identify all workers likely to be exposed and to provide precise information as to where and what action is needed.