A police mechanic who was exposed to high levels of noise from testing police sirens has been awarded compensation for occupational deafness.
The mechanic’s job was to repair police vehicles and as part of this work he was required to test the sirens. Normally, sirens do not pose a risk to hearing for either the public or emergency service personnel because the exposure is minimal. The mechanic, however, was exposed to the sirens at close range day after day. It was calculated that, on average, he was forced to endure 6.5 minutes of excessive noise each day without adequate protection. Even short periods of intense noise can cause hearing damage and he was subsequently diagnosed with noise induced hearing loss.
In court it was found that this level of exposure was above the threshold set by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Consequently, his employer was ruled to be in breach of its statutory duty. The mechanic was awarded an undisclosed amount in compensation.
The Regulations place a number of duties on employers. These include implementing noise prevention measures as well as providing workers with ear protection.
If you have suffered damage to your hearing as a result of exposure to high noise levels at work, you could be entitled to compensation.
The mechanic’s job was to repair police vehicles and as part of this work he was required to test the sirens. Normally, sirens do not pose a risk to hearing for either the public or emergency service personnel because the exposure is minimal. The mechanic, however, was exposed to the sirens at close range day after day. It was calculated that, on average, he was forced to endure 6.5 minutes of excessive noise each day without adequate protection. Even short periods of intense noise can cause hearing damage and he was subsequently diagnosed with noise induced hearing loss.
In court it was found that this level of exposure was above the threshold set by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Consequently, his employer was ruled to be in breach of its statutory duty. The mechanic was awarded an undisclosed amount in compensation.
The Regulations place a number of duties on employers. These include implementing noise prevention measures as well as providing workers with ear protection.
If you have suffered damage to your hearing as a result of exposure to high noise levels at work, you could be entitled to compensation.
