Mr W of Heywood was awarded £3,100 compensation after he suffered noise induced hearing loss and tinnitus as a result of his employment in noisy environments.

Mr W was employed by Joseph Grundy & Co, which later became known as Smallbridge Ltd. and Bridport Grundy in Smallbridge, Rochdale. He was employed here from approximately 1963 to 1968 as an Underman in the Doubling & Twisting Departments. Here he was exposed to excessive noise from the doubling and twisting machines. Hearing protection was never provided.

Mr W was also employed at Standard Mill (Rochdale) Ltd. where he worked as a Mechanic in the Doubling & Twisting rooms and later as an Open End Spinning Technical Supervisor in the Open End Spinning rooms. He was employed here from around 1968 to 1980 Mr W was subjected to excessive noise from the doubling, twisting and spinning machines. Hearing protection was never provided.

Supportive medical evidence was obtained from an Ear, Nose & Throat Consultant confirming that Mr W was suffering injuries as a result of exposure to loud noise in the workplace.

This case was a particularly difficult as neither of Mr W’s former employers are in existence and therefore enquiries had to be made with the Association of British Insurers to trace who the relevant employers liability insurers were at the time of Mr  W’s employment.