Medico-legal aspects of noise in industry

This article describes the present situation in the United Kingdom with respect to noise and the law. There is no specific legislation as such, but the Robens Committee on Safety and Health at Work has recommended that, in addition to a Code of Practice, there should be legislation and a special inspectorate to deal with noise. The question of prescribing occupational deafness as an occupational disease giving entitlement to compensation has been under consideration for some time and a decision is likely in the near future. Meanwhile, the first successful claim for damages at Common Law has been heard and this will inevitably lead to others. The need for intensified effort to deal with the problem is therefore all the more important.