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bricky  
#1 Posted : 07 August 2017 10:04:53(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
bricky

Hi all

I am new here and looking for advice, i have had an accident at work i work in the construction trade.

A brief description of my accident, I was asked to work in an area where noise was present i did wear ear plugs which were provided by the main contracter, the workers that were creating the noise later told me (thanks) that they had to wear  industrial ear protection 30db plus due to the noise levels there specific job produces, the noise was allso amplified due to a confined space making my earplugs fairly useless which is some thing a did not realise until recently after research ect. 

Unfortunatly at the time i did not know my hearing had been damaged so never filled in the accident book this was 6 weeks ago i now have poor hearing and a constant buzz in my ears (tinnitis), i was not warned, advised no toolbox talk ect of the dangers just asked to work in that area, i feel let down and disapointed with the contracter as this is one of the largest construction companys in the UK.

I am hoping some one can advise me.   

David Bannister  
#2 Posted : 07 August 2017 14:25:34(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
David Bannister

bricky, the immediate action you should take is a visit to you GP who may then refer you to the local audiology dept.

Let your employer (or contract manager) know that you have a hearing issue and what you feel is the cause. If you have long-term damage and this was caused by the event you mention you have plenty of time to consider what to do. Your Trade Union should be able to advise, failing that plenty of "have you had an accident" chancers out there to give advice.

thanks 1 user thanked David Bannister for this useful post.
bricky on 07/08/2017(UTC)
bricky  
#3 Posted : 07 August 2017 16:36:34(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
bricky

Thanks for your advice David booked an apointment for my hearing test and will take it from there 

thanks bricky..

O'Donnell54548  
#4 Posted : 08 August 2017 06:28:06(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
O'Donnell54548

I do not feel that this forum is an appropriate place for practitioners to be advising persons if they have a claim following an alleged accident at work.

RayRapp  
#5 Posted : 08 August 2017 08:11:20(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
RayRapp

Originally Posted by: O'Donnell54548 Go to Quoted Post

I do not feel that this forum is an appropriate place for practitioners to be advising persons if they have a claim following an alleged accident at work.

I am no lover of 'ambulance chasers' but if it's relevant to the question I see no problem in advising a layman to seek legal advice which may lead to a claim - just my opinion. 

thanks 2 users thanked RayRapp for this useful post.
David Bannister on 08/08/2017(UTC), DavidGault on 10/08/2017(UTC)
O'Donnell54548  
#6 Posted : 08 August 2017 10:54:06(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
O'Donnell54548

I understand RayRapp what you are saying, but having been given only one side of the story it is, IMHO, presumptive to advise.  

hilary  
#7 Posted : 08 August 2017 11:11:28(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
hilary

Originally Posted by: O'Donnell54548 Go to Quoted Post

I understand RayRapp what you are saying, but having been given only one side of the story it is, IMHO, presumptive to advise.  

I don't think anyone has advised in this thread, they have merely suggested that the person take advice which is a completely different thing.

thanks 1 user thanked hilary for this useful post.
David Bannister on 08/08/2017(UTC)
O'Donnell54548  
#8 Posted : 08 August 2017 13:13:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
O'Donnell54548

Originally Posted by: David Bannister Go to Quoted Post

bricky, the immediate action you should take is a visit to you GP who may then refer you to the local audiology dept.

Let your employer (or contract manager) know that you have a hearing issue and what you feel is the cause. If you have long-term damage and this was caused by the event you mention you have plenty of time to consider what to do. Your Trade Union should be able to advise, failing that plenty of "have you had an accident" chancers out there to give advice.

Hilary, I think this is clasified as advice?
Elfin Davy 09  
#9 Posted : 08 August 2017 14:49:20(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Elfin Davy 09

Advice was asked for and whether it was actually “given” or “suggested” is in the eye of the beholder I suppose.

Whilst I’m all for helping someone out if at all possible, on this occasion I’m less than comfortable with the information (or lack of) supplied by the OP, and it’s for that reason that I personally wouldn’t have responded – at least not without asking further questions. 

Firstly, it’s not an “accident at work”, so there’s no need to put it in an accident book. 

The OP says that ear plugs were provided and worn, but the suggestion is that the ear plugs provided weren’t up to the job.  However, if noise levels were such that ear plugs weren’t adequate, wouldn’t that set alarm bells ringing anyway ?  Any ear plugs (if worn correctly) should offer a reasonable level of hearing protection, and I know that if MY fillings were falling out because of noise – particularly so if I was already wearing ear plugs! – I’d be asking for something a little more substantial rather than just putting up with it.

Then there’s the duration of noise….  Did it last an hour ?  A day ?  A week ?  A month ?

Whilst I fully appreciate and accept that it is possible for one off exceptionally high noise events to cause hearing problems, it would have to be REALLY loud for a short-term event to cause “poor hearing and tinnitus” some six weeks later as hearing does usually recover (even if arguably not fully) unless exposure is long-term.

I also find it strange that a main contractor would provide ear plugs without going into a little more detail as to why/where/when they actually needed to be worn (and if such info wasn’t provided, why wasn’t it requested) ?  I presume a CSCS card was required for access to the site, and part of the health and safety aspect of obtaining a card makes it clear that site operatives share responsibility for their own health and safety and should therefore always seek clarification if they ever feel that not enough information has been provided about anything related to health and safety.

There are more questions than answers (as Johnny Nash once said) !

Just my opinion for what it’s worth…

thanks 1 user thanked Elfin Davy 09 for this useful post.
ke5283 on 08/08/2017(UTC)
Zyggy  
#10 Posted : 08 August 2017 14:52:47(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Zyggy

Advice/suggestion, does it really matter? I don't think anybody is disputing that there are two sides to every story & if it does result in a claim then the two sets of lawyers or court system can battle it out! Whatever you want to call it, David has provided pragmatic advice/suggestions, with the first port of call being a GP & the last, seeking legal advice - what on earth is wrong with that?
thanks 2 users thanked Zyggy for this useful post.
David Bannister on 08/08/2017(UTC), hilary on 09/08/2017(UTC)
O'Donnell54548  
#11 Posted : 09 August 2017 09:21:21(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
O'Donnell54548

I of course accept all opinions expressed on any forum subject, as I do on this one, but I still feel that as professionals we should not get involved in giving advice on potential claims where we do not have all the facts. Happy to have people agree or disagree with me on this :)

DavidGault  
#12 Posted : 10 August 2017 09:47:51(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
DavidGault

Originally Posted by: hilary Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: O'Donnell54548 Go to Quoted Post

I understand RayRapp what you are saying, but having been given only one side of the story it is, IMHO, presumptive to advise.  

I don't think anyone has advised in this thread, they have merely suggested that the person take advice which is a completely different thing.

I agree, it was a suggestion and it isn't as though Ray presumed anything or attempted a diagnosis.  It seemed fair comment to me.

thanks 1 user thanked DavidGault for this useful post.
RayRapp on 10/08/2017(UTC)
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