Personal injury news

Call centre bosses run risk of personal injury compensation claims

A company involved in providing ear protection to call centre headset users is warning that thousands of workers are at risk from hearing damage unless employers take action.

Over £10million has already been paid out in personal injury compensation settlements to date, and Nomadtrack, manufacturers of ear protection devices to the call centre industry, estimate that millions more will have to paid out unless adequate precautions are taken.

Acoustic shock injury is the main problem associated with call centre work and can lead to a range of harmful effects including ear pain, hyperacusis, dyacusis and, more commonly, tinnitus. The injury occurs when loud, unannounced sounds travel through the telephone line or the web interface quickly, and the increasing use of IP (Internet Protocol) voice packages has only added to the problem.

Paul Jenkins, Managing Director of Nomadtrack, is an expert in acoustic shock and says that businesses should act now to protect both the wellbeing of their employees, as well as their own bank balances from the risk of personal injury compensation. He told the media, "The growth in IP voice services is expected to increase occurrences of acoustic shock. IP presents a new challenge which must be addressed."