DANGEROUS DECIBELS HITTING THE WRONG NOTES AT WORK

In the wake of rising claims, Allianz Commercial has issued customers with risk management advice to help reduce their exposure to noise in the workplace.

Hearing loss, caused by exposure to noise at work, continues to be a significant occupational disease with around 170,000 people in the UK thought to suffer from deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions as a result. Manufacturing is one of the worst affected industry sectors.

The insurance industry has seen a dramatic rise in the number of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) claims. Allianz has seen an increase of 250% in new claims since 2010 and the first quarter of this year has also hit a new high.

Risk management advice on this issue is available via Risk Director, Allianz’s free online risk management service available to customers and brokers. It aims to help employers and their employees identify how NIHL might occur where they work. Additionally, it highlights some of the measures for employers to consider when reducing the exposure to noise at work to protect people’s hearing.

Mark Pearce, casualty risk control technical lead, Allianz Commercial commented: “Noise induced hearing loss and related conditions such as tinnitus, is a real and ever-present risk for employers and their employees. Exposure to excessive or prolonged levels of noise can lead to serious and irreversible hearing damage.”

He continued: “Exposure is a feature in a wide range of industries including general fabrication, machinery and equipment manufacture,, construction and engineering . With NIHL, prevention is certainly better than cure and it is important for employers to assess the risk factors of their workplace and take action to reduce noise exposure.”

Whilst workplaces vary, and it is often a combination of measures that works best, examples of ways to reduce the risk of NIHL include:

• Introducing a low-noise machinery and equipment purchasing policy
• Using a different, quieter process or quieter equipment
• Introducing engineering controls
• Ensuring machinery and equipment is properly and regularly maintained
• Providing employees with personal hearing protection where identified as necessary, ensuring that it is used properly and maintained. Hearing protection should not however be used as an alternative to controlling noise by technical or organisational means.

In addition to the above it is vital that employers recognise the importance of the role played by training and health surveillance in the form of hearing checks to detect and respond to early signs of damage. 

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. At Allianz our experts have a wealth of risk management expertise that can help customers and brokers keep up to date with legislation and industry developments. Customers that purchase a General Manufacturing product will receive a FREE risk management guide with their policy and access to a dedicated General Manufacturing portal on our Risk Director website www.riskdirector.co.uk. The website includes information on how to protect themselves and their employees from the potential risks of noise within the workplace.

2. Attached is an article covering NIHL from Commercial's  Property and Casualty Newsletter 

3. Allianz Insurance is one of the largest general insurers in the UK and part of the Allianz SE Group, the largest property and casualty insurer worldwide.

Around 85 million private and corporate customers rely on Allianz's knowledge, global reach, capital strength and solidity to help them make the most of financial opportunities and to avoid and safeguard themselves against risks. In 2014, over 147,000 employees in more than 70 countries achieved total revenues of approximately 122.3bn euros.

For further information contact:

David Moore-Crouch, Communications Officer, Allianz Insurance

Tel: 01483 465 227
Mob: 07711021748
Email: david.moore-crouch@allianz.co.uk