Posted on: Feb. 18, 2025
Hearing loss associated with 57% higher risk per 10dB. Another reason to update policies?
Recent research adds to the damage list - and potential claims costs
Could the recent >£700k settlement become commonplace?
What effect should this have on hearing conservation programmes?
New research (Lancaster University, January 2025) indicates that hearing damage is associated with a dramatically increased risk of developing Parkinson's.
UK Biobank biomedical database analysis of the data from half a million UK participants showed a 57% increased risk of Parkinson’s is associated with every 10dB increase in hearing loss. Whilst this does not yet prove causation, it does prove a very strong correlation between the two conditions.
Given the sophistication and complexity of the neurological networks required to process sound, it is not surprising that hearing loss has a profound association with neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's and dementia. For example, it is the single most modifiable factor associated with the risk of developing dementia - it can increase the risk by 500%...
How should this affect noise risk reduction programmes?
Even in isolation, this research raises the spectre of dramatically increased claims costs. If you then add -
- increased dementia risk + up to 500%
- unemployment risk + up to 42%
- risk of accident + 200%
- change in legal guidance (no lower limit to noise exposure, synaptic damage etc)
- etc...
...it becomes increasing likely that settlements such as the recent £713,716 award to a single claimant (Barry v Ministry of Defence) could become common.
What actions are needed?
Given the timescales involved with Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), the advice is to act now to avoid future damage to employees and to company resources.
