Foundry Worker Wins £5,000 for Hearing Loss

A former foundry worker has won £5,000 in damages after he suffered hearing loss caused by exposure to excessive noise at work.

The man worked for a Manchester-based foundry in a variety of roles between 1964 and 2000. During this time he was exposed to high levels of workplace noise from furnaces, overhead cranes and other factory equipment.

Until 1995 he was not provided with any hearing protection, and even then there was no comprehensive policy put in place regarding its use. It was not until 2000 that the company enforced the use of hearing protection.

The man continued working at the foundry until 2009. He now suffers from mild noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and experiences tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing sound in the ears which is a common symptom of NIHL.

He began a compensation claim against the company he worked for, which is now owned by Weir Group. The case was complicated by the fact that a number of different insurers had provided cover to the company during the course of the man’s employment: however, he has now secured a settlement of £5,000.