Mr M has been employed by Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, for a period of over 10 years; from 2003 to the present. He started off working through an employment agency and was soon taken on as a permanent member of staff. He has been employed as a refuse and recycling loader, based at the Green Lane site in Heywood, Lancashire.

During this time, Mr M has been exposed to excessive noise daily, from the refuse and recycling wagons. In particular, the noise of refuse and recycling materials hitting the metal wagon wells and then being crushed.

During Mr M’s employment, he was not provided with hearing protection until recently and therefore, most of the damage had already been done. Mr M now suffers from mild noise induced hearing loss, which was confirmed when WE Solicitors arranged a medical assessment of his hearing condition. This was presented to the defendants, as part of the evidence, to support Mr M’s claim.

Rochdale MBC admitted liability for Mr M’s claim and did not dispute that they had been negligent in failing to protect Mr M’s hearing from noise damage.

An out of court settlement of £5,000.00 was reached for Mr M.