Hey Firefighters, they're called ear plugs, and it's YOUR responsibility!
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
January 12, 2011 11:55am CST
I siren company has settled with over 2000 firefighters in a hearing loss suit. The company will pay $3.8 million in damages, which of course will be split between the firefighters and lawyers.
The part that gets me is, everyone of those firefighters had the responsibility to wear hearing protection on the job. It is an OSHA requirement, part of their training, and standard operating procedure for every fire department in the US.
Now a company will be held liable for the failure of the fire fighters to comply.
Sorry fire fighters, but you're being paid money that you don't deserve can can't honestly accept.
http://www.firerescue1.com/gear-gadgets/articles/930493-Siren-company-reaches-3-8M-hearing-loss-claims-settlement/
2 people like this
6 responses
@Adoniah (7512)
• United States
12 Jan 11
Yes, and I bet that they were told by their bosses not to wear the hearing protection...If they did they might not hear something that they needed to hear. You would be surprised by how often this happens. I know a lot of folks who have hearing damage caused by work related noise. They had hearing protection devices available, but were not allowed to wear it because they had to be able to hear orders. Railroad workers are natorious for this.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
12 Jan 11
If that is the case, then it is the fire chiefs who are at fault, not a siren company.
1 person likes this
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
12 Jan 11
Wow...seriously. The company made a product do EXACTLY what is was supposed to. How is it their fault the firemen didn't follow procedures?
This is what's wrong with our society right now. Nobody is responsable for their own actions anymore.
The people who sued should be charged with misuse of goverment equipment or something & all that money be taken away.1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
13 Jan 11
Almost any job when doen over a period of time, comes with problems.
railroad - copd
waitressing - carpel tunnel
police - being shot at (heck of a disease)
pushing wheelchairs - carpel tunnel
There are a million, but it is early in the AM and I havent quite shaken the asleep yet... But I think you get my point!
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
12 Jan 11
God forbid they take personal responsibility for not wearing proper hearing protection. This really is disgusting. I could understand if they were suing the department for not providing hearing protection, or for advising them not to wear it, but the siren company? What the he1l?
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
12 Jan 11
If it's as you say, I'm very surprised that the lawsuit even went to court. Clearly the firefighters ignored the law--OSHA requirements are laws or at least conditions of their employment, right? I know if an employer violates OSHA standards they are heavily fined and open to a lawsuit.
This is wrong, wrong, wrong. It seems that anyone can sue for anything now and win as long as it involves being a "victim".
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
12 Jan 11
I remember a case where a woman sucessfully sued Walmart after she tripped over a rambunxious kid & broke her leg ( or something like that ). It turned out to be her own grandchild which she was ALLOWING to act wild in the store.
How is that Walmart's fault? The judge should have rewarded Walmart 3 times as much from her for her creating a potentially dangerous situation to it's customers.
1 person likes this
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
13 Jan 11
Then there's also the case where a woman bought a RV with cruise control. She got to driving down the interstate , set the cruise control then went into the back to let the RV drive itself. It wrecked of course but she sued the company that made it because she was to stupid to realize that cruise control isn't an auto pilot & won.
If I were the judge I'd have thrown out her case & had her committed for stupidity & her own protection.
How do they get away with this stuff?
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
13 Jan 11
Uath, I think there should be a criminal penalty for stupidity such as this!
@millertime (1394)
• United States
16 Jan 11
I can never understand these stupid, frivolous lawsuits. A siren company had to pay off because their product does what it's designed to do. It's not faulty or defective, it works perfectly. Yet because they design and sell such a good product, the manufacturer has to pay out millions of dollars in "damages". Unbelievable...
The firefighters might think that they achieved a great victory, but that victory makes them look incredibly stupid. They didn't know that continued exposure to loud noise can affect one's hearing? They didn't know that OSHA requirements for hearing protection was designed to protect their hearing? Duh... Definitely NOT rocket science guys...
I guess the company should produce a "silent" siren to satisfy these brilliant firefighters in the lawsuit.
