Retired Blackburn electrical engineer given hearing payout (From This Is Lancashire)

Retired Blackburn electrical engineer given hearing payout

5:00pm Monday 13th February 2012 in News

TWO Blackburn companies have paid out after a retired electrical engineer suffered work-related hearing loss.

Allan Dewhurst, 68, of Revidge, spent 14 years working next to industrial hammers, high-pitched extrusion machines, high-speed motors and winding machines at Netlon Ltd, which was taken over as Tensar International Ltd, and at British Northrop Ltd.

Neither company provided him with hearing protection, nor made him aware of the dangers of working in an excessive noise environment.

He now has to wear two hearing aids because of noise-induced hearing loss and mild tinnitus, and agreed to settle out of court with both companies for a total of £2,242.

He said: “I worked at Northrop from 1959 to 1966, and at Netlon from 1967 to 1974, and at those times we were never aware of the situation. If there was a job to be done, we just got on with it.

“The companies never told us there was any protection available, and we didn’t question it.

“We had to take the sound-proofing off the machine to work on them, and when we hammered parts back on, we had our heads very close to where it was taking place.

“At Northrop there were massive hammers to shape things, and that was always very close to our heads.”

Mr Dewhurst first became aware of his hearing loss when his wife accused him of “selective hearing”, and when he realised he couldn’t tell what people behind him were saying.

After reading an advert about hearing loss claims in The Citizen, he decided to take action, and was sent for an assessment by WE Solicitors of Manchester.

Netlon Ltd, of New Wellington Street, which makes plastic products for industry, made a settlement of £1,472, and British Northrop, which built and exported looms in Harwood Street/New Moss Street, settled on £770.

Mr Dewhurst said: “It’s not a massive sum, but it will go towards the cost of private hearing aids if I need them, which can cost in the region of £5,000. I’d encourage anyone else in the same situation to persue a claim.”

The companies were unavailable for comment.