Industrial deafness, or work-related hearing loss as it is sometimes known, occurs when employees are exposed to noise at a level that damages their hearing, without being given the proper protection, such as ear defenders, to prevent this damage. A common misconception that people have about hearing loss is that it only affects workers in heavy industry, such as factory and construction workers. However any employee exposed to noise above a certain level for any length of time without adequate protection is at risk of suffering damage to their hearing.
The levels of noise that people can be exposed to in their working environment with and without protection are set down in the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. These regulations set down the upper limits of noise that employees should be exposed to without protective equipment, as well as the absolute maximum noise levels allowed in the workplace. The regulations use a graduated scale which means that as the noise level increases the employers are required to take more actions to protect the health and safety of their staff.
The Noise at Work Regulations set out 3 different noise thresholds relating to workplace noise. The first level, 80 decibels, is known as the “lower exposure action limit” and is the level at which employers should make hearing protection available to their employees. The next level is known as the “upper exposure action limit” where sound levels are over 85 decibels, and requires employers to mark out the areas of high noise using the appropriate signage as well as requiring them to make sure their employees wear hearing protection. The last level, at 87 decibels, known as the “exposure limit” is the maximum noise level employers should expose their employees to for extended periods.
The decibel values above show the maximum levels of noise that workers can be exposed to for extended periods, such as for a whole day or for their working week. Where the exposure to noise will only last a few minutes, a higher decibel level is allowed. For short exposures the lower and upper exposure limits are 135 and 137 decibels respectively, for comparison, a rock concert is usually around 120 decibels. The exposure limit for short durations is 140 decibels, which is about as loud as a gunshot going off only a few feet away from you.
If you are concerned that your job may have left you with either temporary or permanent hearing damage or even total hearing loss, call Camps Solicitors today on 0800 092 8586. Our workplace accident solicitors will be happy to discuss your situation, and whether you have the grounds to make a no-win no-fee compensation claim against your employer.
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