Firefighter's Damaged Hearing Claim

A retired firefighter whose hearing was damaged by exposure to sirens and other loud noises in the course of his work has been awarded compensation. Paul Rogerson, 53, started working for the fire service in 1969, but it wasn't until shortly before his retirement, in 2004, that he noticed that his hearing was getting worse. A visit to the doctor suggested that the extent of the deterioration wasn't just age-related.

 

During his time in the fire service, Mr Rogerson was exposed to a variety of loud noises. As well as the familiar two-tone siren, he had to endure the sound of pumps, the noise of the in-cab radio and almost continuous noise during training. In spite of the introduction of the Noise at Work Regulations in 1989, the fire service was slow to put preventive measures in place. Mr Rogerson was awarded compensation as he was able to prove that his hearing loss resulted from excessive noise exposure at work.

 

Although noise is an integral part of many jobs, employers still have a duty to take steps to minimise the risks. On 6 April 2006, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 replaced the earlier Regulations. Where excessive noise may be a problem, employers must assess the level of the noise to which employees are exposed.

 

The legislation lays down specific noise exposure levels but, as a rough guide, the Health and Safety Executive suggests that if people standing two metres apart have to shout or have difficulty hearing each other above the noise, an assessment of the noise levels must be carried out by someone competent to do so.

 

Every employer with a ‘noise problem’ which cannot be eliminated has a duty under the Regulations to assess and control the risks and to provide employees who are likely to be exposed to noise with information and training on the attendant risks and to inform them of the steps that can be taken to minimise them. Where necessary, employees must be provided with personal ear protectors and notified of their own obligations under the Regulations. All noise control equipment and hearing protection must be properly maintained.

 

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations can be found here.