A MAN whose hearing was damaged after he was exposed to excessive workplace noise has won a settlement from his former employer.

Nigel Simpson has to wear a hearing aid in his left ear following an eight-year spell working at British Coal’s Hatfield Main Colliery in Doncaster.

Now Irwin Mitchell solicitors have secured an undisclosed sum from British Coal after the company admitted liability for the hearing loss.

Mr Simpson (pictured) worked at Hatfield Main until 1988.

Medical evidence showed the father-of-three's hearing had deteriorated due to noise he was exposed to from conveyor belts, coal cutters, jigger picks, chains, hydraulic chocks and vibrating and shaking jigs used to grade the coal.

The 51-year-old, of Steeton, said: "I've struggled to hear people in conversation for quite a while but it has really deteriorated significantly in recent years.

"The fact these problems have come about due to the noise at the colliery is very upsetting."

He said safety standards had improved dramatically, but said those changes had come too late for people of his generation.

British Coal was contacted for a comment.