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Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) can be caused by a one-off exposure to loud sound or by repeated exposure to sounds at varying levels of loudness over an extended period of time. Although it is easy to diagnose, it is an irreversible injury and is only detected by the injured person after the damage has been done.
A retired police officer has won £7,500 in compensation for damage to his hearing caused by exposure to excessive levels of workplace noise over a period of time.
The officer began working for Greater Manchester Police as a police constable in 1974. From 1986 until his retirement from the force in 1992 he worked in the communications suite, taking incoming calls from the public and from police officers via radio controls. He wore a headset throughout his shift. This did not have noise limiters to prevent the transmission of sounds above a certain level and he was exposed to high levels of noise as a result.
Throughout his time working in the communications suite, his employer failed to warn him of the dangers associated with exposure to excessive noise, nor were measures put in place to protect his hearing.
He began to experience difficulties with his hearing and tests showed that he had mild NIHL. He also suffers with noise-related tinnitus – a ringing, buzzing or roaring in the ears or head.
At first, Greater Manchester Police denied any liability for the damage to his hearing. However, after an engineering report was produced as evidence confirming that the type of headset in use at the time did not have noise limiters or restrictors, it agreed to settle the matter out of court.