Noise-induced hearing loss, often shortened to NIHL, is permanent hearing damage caused by exposure to loud noise, most commonly at work. It is one of the most widespread occupational diseases in the UK, and Greater Manchester, with its history of mills, engineering works and print rooms, has more than its share of people living with it. This guide explains what NIHL is, how it happens, and what you can do about it.
What exactly is noise-induced hearing loss?
Deep inside the inner ear are thousands of microscopic hair cells that turn sound vibrations into signals for the brain. Loud noise, repeated day after day, physically wears these cells down, and the human body cannot grow them back. The result is a gradual, painless and permanent loss of hearing, usually in both ears, and often accompanied by tinnitus, a constant ringing or buzzing that has no outside source. Because the change is so slow, many people only realise something is wrong years after the noisy job ended.
The Health and Safety Executive estimates that around 15,000 workers in Great Britain have hearing problems caused or made worse by work each year, averaged across 2022/23 to 2024/25 (HSE, noise-induced hearing loss statistics, updated January 2026). In 2024, a further 50 people were assessed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit under the scheme’s much stricter definition of occupational deafness.
How loud does a workplace have to be to cause damage?
The law sets precise thresholds. Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, an employer must assess and reduce risk from a daily average of 80 decibels, must provide and enforce hearing protection at 85 decibels, and must never allow exposure above 87 decibels after protection is taken into account. For comparison, a busy factory floor typically sits between 85 and 95 decibels, and a weaving shed in full flow could exceed 100. The practical test has not changed in decades: if you had to raise your voice to speak to someone two metres away, the noise was probably doing damage.
Which Greater Manchester jobs put workers at risk?
Almost every borough had its own noisy trade, and many still do:
- Textile mills and weaving sheds in Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside
- Engineering and metalworking around Trafford Park and Salford
- Paper mills in Bolton and Bury
- Printing works in Manchester and Stockport
- Food production lines, foundries and plastics factories across Wigan and beyond
- Construction, demolition and road maintenance everywhere
If you spent years in any of these environments without proper hearing protection, your hearing difficulties today may not be simple ageing.
Did my employer know the noise was dangerous?
Almost certainly, yes. The government published guidance called Noise and the Worker in 1963, warning employers that workplace noise damages hearing and telling them to measure it and protect their staff. The courts confirmed in Thompson v Smith Ship Repairers (1984) that employers should have acted on that knowledge from 1963 onwards. Legal duties were then tightened by the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 and again by the 2005 Regulations. In other words, an employer who let you work in damaging noise without protection in the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s was already falling short of what the law expected.
Can I still claim years after leaving the noisy job?
Often, yes. Under the Limitation Act 1980 you generally have three years to begin a claim, but the period runs from your date of knowledge, the point when you connected your hearing problems to your work, not from the years you spent on the factory or mill floor. Many successful claims are brought by people long retired, and claims can proceed even where the employer has ceased trading, because the employer’s insurer at the time can usually be traced and pursued instead.
What could a claim be worth?
Compensation depends on the severity of the loss and its effect on your life. As a guide, the Judicial College Guidelines place moderate tinnitus with hearing loss at £14,000 to £29,000, and severe tinnitus with hearing loss at £29,000 to £45,000, with lesser awards for milder cases. A claim can also fund private digital hearing aids and cover any effect on your earnings. These are ranges the courts use, not promises; an honest assessment of your own case comes first. There is more detail on our noise-induced hearing loss page.
Frequently asked questions
I only have tinnitus, not deafness. Can I still claim?
Yes, tinnitus caused by workplace noise can support a claim in its own right, particularly where it disturbs sleep or concentration.
I am retired. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. What matters is when you first linked your hearing problems to your work. Many retired mill and factory workers claim successfully years after finishing work.
Will I have to go to court?
It is unlikely. The great majority of hearing loss claims settle through negotiation with insurers. If court proceedings are ever needed, WE Solicitors prepares everything and guides you through.
What does it cost to find out if I have a claim?
Nothing. The initial consultation is free, and claims are handled on a No Win, No Fee basis.
Take the first step
WE Solicitors has helped workers across Greater Manchester with noise-induced hearing loss claims for more than two decades, from Oldham mill workers to Trafford Park engineers. If you think your hearing has paid the price for a noisy working life, call 0800 294 3065 for a free, no-obligation conversation, or reach us through our online contact form. We will give you a straight answer.
Sources: HSE, Noise-induced hearing loss in Great Britain statistics, updated January 2026 · Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 · Noise and the Worker, Ministry of Labour, 1963 · Thompson v Smith Ship Repairers [1984] · Limitation Act 1980 · Judicial College Guidelines
