Law Firm Irwin Mitchell Supporting HSE 'Buy Quiet' Campaign

An industrial illness specialist from law firm Irwin Mitchell in Sheffield is supporting a campaign encouraging manufacturers and businesses to adopt quieter workplaces to reduce the number of people suffering from industrial deafness.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently launched its 'Buy Quiet' initiative, to show companies how they can protect their employees from noise related illnesses.  170,000 people in the UK suffer deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work.

Mark Allen, Industrial Illness specialist at Irwin Mitchell in Sheffield, said: "We welcome this initiative and hope it will raise awareness of the dangers of working in loud environments. Manufacturing companies are naturally the most common to suffer from problems due to loud machinery but other businesses are affected too.

"We deal with people everyday whose lives have been massively affected by illnesses such as industrial deafness and tinnitus, and have handled hundreds of cases where simple, cheap measures could have reduced noise to a safe level.

"Reducing noise at the source is one of the best ways to reduce the noise exposure of employees. It also helps make the workplace a less stressful environment and can eliminate the need for protective clothing such as ear muffs and plugs.

"Noise-induced deafness can take a number of years to develop, and employers must understand that they have a responsibility to reduce noise in the workplace. Simple things such as buying quieter machinery and equipment can have a huge impact later in life."

If you or a loved one has suffered from hearing damage such as acoustic shock, tinnitus, and noise-induced hearing loss caused by conditions at work our solicitors could help you claim compensation. See our Industrial Disease Claims page for more information.