Man receives compensation over hearing problems

A man who developed hearing problems as a result of his exposure to loud noises at work has been awarded compensation.

At the age of 48, Neil Dawson has to use two hearing aids in order to pick up sounds.

He had been employed by Richard Dunston Shipbuilders at the Haven in Hessle, Yorkshire from the age of 16.

In his role as a plater from 1977 to 1981, he was operating in a loud environment but was not given instructions or advice on the dangers this posed.

Mr Dawson has now been given £5,750 for his occupational deafness.

He remarked: "I was only 16 when I started working at the shipbuilders and I had no idea that the noise I worked in was damaging my ears."

Meanwhile, Andy Worth from the GMB - which claims to have nearly 610,000 workers - said it is unacceptable for firms to negligently expose people to excessive levels of noise.