A welder whose hearing was damaged while at work has been
awarded £12,000 compensation in an out of court settlement by
his former employer.
Stephen Rothwell was represented by industrial injury
specialists, Attwood Solicitors of Stoke-on-Trent.
Mr Rothwell of Middlewich, Cheshire, suffered serious hearing
damage while working for Henry Smith Constructional
Engineering.
Stephen, 50, a plater welder, was never advised to wear ear
protectors despite working in a very noisy environment at Henry
Smith's steel fabrication factory.
The noise has resulted in Tinnitus and led to him losing around
50 per cent of his hearing.
Ashley Attwood, Principal Solicitor, said: "This is an
exceptional award and reflects the severity of injury caused to
Stephen.
"His employer was negligent in that they offered no protection
to Stephen and his co-workers despite the extremely noisy
environment that they worked in.
"Many workers like Stephen who experience hearing loss while
working in extremely noisy environments have simply put up with it
yet they deserve compensation for the pain and inconvenience they
have had to put up with."
Stephen began working at the Wharton Steelworks, Deakins Road,
Winsford, when he left school in 1976 and stayed with the company
until 2003."
He said: "In the early years there was no mention of ear
protection at all despite the fact that I worked in an extremely
noisy fabrication workshop. I am not blaming the company, it
was just the way that industry operated back then.
"I can't hear conversations or the television and suffer
Tinnitus which causes variable buzzing sounds in my ears. I have to
wear hearing aids in both ears."
Attwood solicitors are currently pursuing compensation on behalf
of around 200 workers in the Midlands and North West of
England.
Claimants include pottery workers from Stoke-on-Trent, former
Foden workers from Cheshire and shipbuilders from Barrow in
Furness.
Attwood Solicitors has teamed up with audiologists to hold a
series of free hearing advice clinics. To arrange a free hearing
test contact Attwood Solcitors on 0800 145 5105.
"We have been able to help around 200 people with more claims in
the pipeline," said Mr Attwood. "We are not simply seeking
compensation we are working to give clients the help they deserve
and need to put their lives back on track."
Noise above 80 decibels - roughly the same as an average alarm
clock - is considered dangerous but many older people are now
suffering from damage caused before current health and safety
standards were introduced.