§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records he has of loss of hearing experienced by Royal Air Force personnel working in the vicinity of(a) four-engined Vulcan bombers and (b) other aircraft which are landing or taking off; and what steps were taken (i) in 1964 onwards and (ii) currently to prevent any such hearing loss.
§ Mr. HanleyAlthough general medical statistics relating to noise-induced hearing loss among Royal Air Force personnel have been maintained since 1979, it is not possible to identify from these the source of the noise exposure responsible. Central records are not held of personnel who have experienced loss of hearing from working in the vicinity of Vulcan Bombers or other aircraft.
Where there is a risk of noise induced hearing loss, the RAF has for many years made provision to prevent such loss by reducing the noise at source or by providing a barrier between source and receiver, such as hearing protectors, and by limiting exposure. A formal hearing conservation programme was introduced in 1970, and current service regulations are based on the Noise at Work Regulations 1989.