If you spent years on a factory or manufacturing floor around Manchester or Oldham, you may have grown so used to the noise that you stopped noticing it. Now you find yourself turning the television up, losing the thread of conversations in busy rooms, or living with a constant ringing in your ears. Many people never connect this to their old job. Very often, there is a direct link.
Can noise from a factory job years ago still affect my hearing today?
Yes. Noise-induced hearing loss develops gradually and the damage is permanent. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to take action to protect workers once daily noise reaches 80 decibels, roughly the level of a busy factory floor. The Health and Safety Executive estimates that more than 2 million people in Great Britain are exposed to unacceptable levels of noise at work. Damage done in the 1990s or 2000s can still be affecting you now.
How do I know if my hearing loss is linked to work?
Work-related hearing loss usually affects both ears and builds up over years of exposure to machinery, presses, cutting tools, or ventilation systems. Common signs include struggling to follow conversations against background noise, needing the television louder than everyone else, and tinnitus, which is a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears. According to the HSE Labour Force Survey, around 15,000 people a year in Great Britain have hearing problems caused or made worse by work, with manufacturing among the three highest-risk industries.
Can I still claim if the factory has closed or I have retired?
In many cases, yes. Even when a former employer has stopped trading, WE Solicitors can trace the insurer who covered them at the time, and the claim is pursued against that insurer rather than against individuals. Time limits do apply. Under the Limitation Act 1980, you generally have three years from the date you knew, or should reasonably have known, that your hearing loss was linked to work, rather than three years from when the exposure happened. This is known as the date of knowledge.
WE Solicitors has spent over two decades helping people across Greater Manchester and Oldham who worked in noisy factories, engineering works, and manufacturing plants. We gather the medical evidence, trace former employers and their insurers, and manage the whole process on a No Win, No Fee basis, so there is nothing to pay upfront.
Frequently asked questions
Will making a claim cost me anything?
No. WE Solicitors works on a No Win, No Fee basis, and your first consultation is free with no obligation to proceed.
Do I need to remember exact dates and employer names?
No. Tell us what you remember and we will carry out the tracing and investigation for you.
My hearing loss feels mild. Is it still worth asking?
It can be. Hearing loss often worsens gradually, and many people are surprised by what a hearing test reveals. It costs nothing to find out where you stand.
If you worked in manufacturing around Manchester or Oldham and your hearing is not what it once was, it costs nothing to find out where you stand. Speak to our team on 0800 294 3065 for a free, no-obligation conversation, or use our online contact form and we will call you back.
Sources: Health and Safety Executive, Noise-induced hearing loss in Great Britain (2024) · HSE Labour Force Survey, work-related hearing problems 2022/23 to 2024/25 · Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 · Limitation Act 1980
