Increasing numbers of call centre staff are suffering from acoustic shock – yet the call centre industry is doing little to mitigate the damage.
Acoustic shock is defined as a sudden or unexpected noise received through headphones or earpiece – symptoms include a constant headache and tinnitus. It can lead to meniere disease – abnormal pressure in the ears – and even deafness.
More than 700 people have suffered acoustic shock and have been compensated with a total of around £2.5 million to date. Around 300 further known cases are pending. There are believed to be many more people who have experienced acoustic shock but do not realise it.
According to the Acoustic Safety Programme, a public-private initiative, with such a high incident rate, it would be expected that the call centre industry was taking steps to mitigate the risk to its employees. Although some organisations are, the vast majority are not.
A recent report by ContactBabel revealed that almost two thirds of the 900,000 people in the UK employed in the call centre industry are not protected by a health and safety policy to cover acoustic shock.
