Mr Eaton started work at Hawker Siddeley on Greengate, Chadderton in 1972 as an apprentice fitter.  The company was taken over and later became  British Aerospace and what is now BAE Systems.  He continued to work there until 2005.

When he started there were over 4000 employees at the company which had dwindled to only a few hundred when it closed in 2005.

Mr Eaton was exposed to noise throughout his employment with the company and it was only in the early 1990’s that he was provided with personal hearing protection to reduce the noise levels that had already damaged his hearing.  He was exposed to noise from rivet guns throughout his working day.

At this time noise levels over 90 decibels were considered harmful.  Riveting guns could easily exceed 100 decibels according to safety data.

Employers had a duty from around 1963 onwards to provide hearing protection or reduce the noise that their employees were exposed to.  Many companies paid little attention to the need for hearing protection up until the late 1980s when it became a statutory requirement.

Mr Eaton received over £6,000 in respect of his hearing loss.

If you worked for Hawker Siddeley or British Aerospace and feel you may have noise induced hearing loss  please contact us today on 0800 294 3065.