Hearing Loss in the Workplace
Noise-related hearing loss has been one of the most prevalent workplace health concerns in Tennessee and across the U.S. for more than 25 years. Each day, thousands of workers in Tennessee are exposed on the job to excessive noise levels that can cause permanent hearing loss. If you have to shout to be heard by a co-worker who is arm’s length away or hear ringing or humming in your ears when you leave work, these are warning signs of a workplace that has excessive noise levels. More than 125,000 workers have suffered significant permanent hearing loss since 2004, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
If you or your loved one has suffered hearing loss as a result of workplace exposure to noise, you may be entitled to seek compensation. Hearing loss is a life-altering injury. Employers have a responsibility to protect workers from high workplace noise levels and hearing loss injury. The experienced workplace injury lawyers at Terry, Terry & Stapleton have been assisting victims of work-related injuries, including hearing loss, in Tennessee for more than four decades. We represent clients throughout Tennessee including Rogersville, Newport, Morristown, Knoxville, Kingsport, Johnson City, Jefferson City and Greeneville.
Call us today at 877-481-6918 to discuss your legal rights if you have been injured by workplace hearing loss. We will review your injury free of charge and advise you whether you have a valid claim against an employer.
Tennessee Standard To Prevent Workplace Hearing Loss
The damage caused by workplace noise depends mainly on how loud it is and how long it lasts. Federal and state laws set legal limits on exposure to noise in the workplace. The higher the noise level, the shorter the duration of exposure permitted. Tennessee’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration Program requires employers to have a workplace hearing conservation program when workers are exposed to noise levels that meet or exceed 85 decibels averaged over eight hours. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimates that 15 percent of workers exposed to noise levels of 85 dBA or higher will develop hearing loss.
Exposure to high levels of noise or prolonged noise causes destruction of cells in the inner ear—cells that cannot be replaced. Prolonged noise may initially exhaust the inner ear, causing temporary hearing loss. With repeated exposure to high levels of noise, a worker’s inner ear may lose its ability to recover and the hearing loss become permanent. Typically, workplace noise affects the ability to hear high-pitched sounds, and this causes words and sounds to be unclear or distorted. Men are more likely to be affected by workplace hearing loss. Neither surgery nor a hearing aid can correct this type of hearing loss, according to the OSHA.
In addition to hearing loss, workers exposed to high levels of noise sometimes complain of nervousness, fatigue and sleeplessness.
Since there is no cure for permanent hearing loss, prevention of exposure to excessive workplace noise is critical. Manufacturers, utilities, and other employers have a legal duty to protect workers from hazardous noise levels by using noise controls on machinery and providing workers with ear protection. When employers fail to monitor noise levels properly and allow workers to be exposed to excessive noise levels, they may be liable for causing a worker’s hearing loss injury. It’s important to consult an experienced workplace injury attorney who understands exactly what steps federal and Tennessee occupational safety laws require employers to take to preserve workers’ hearing and prevent hearing loss. When employees disregard safeguards for hearing conservation and allow hearing loss, they should be held accountable for the permanent injury that workers suffer.
You may have a legal right to claim compensation for workplace hearing loss. But you have to take the first step in seeking help.
Contact Tennessee Hearing Loss Injury Lawyer
If you or your loved one has suffered hearing loss as a result of workplace exposure to noise, you may be entitled to seek compensation. Workplace hearing loss is a life-altering injury. Employers have a responsibility to protect workers from high workplace noise levels and hearing loss injury. The experienced workplace injury lawyers at Terry, Terry & Stapleton have been assisting victims of work-related injuries in Tennessee for more than four decades. We represent clients throughout Tennessee including Rogersville, Newport, Morristown, Knoxville, Kingsport, Johnson City, Jefferson City and Greeneville.
Call us today at 877-481-6918 to discuss your legal rights if you have been injured by workplace hearing loss. We will review your injury free of charge and advise you whether you have a valid claim against an employer.
