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February 18, 2005
Siren joke backfires on police
A NSW police division has been convicted of safety breaches after a practical joke with a police siren at a Waratah workshop, on the state's central coast, left an employee with permanent deafness in one ear.
The incident happened at the police radio network services depot on Georgetown Road, Waratah, in December 2001, when technical officer Anthony Hutchins went to inspect a winch on the front of a police four-wheel drive.
As Mr Hutchins climbed under the vehicle, a police officer activated the siren as a practical joke.
As a result, Mr Hutchins suffered acute acoustic trauma in his right ear, a balance disorder and tinnitus, a constant buzzing or whistling noise in the damaged ear.
The Industrial Relations Commission found his employer failed to have a noise control policy in place, did not provide training for workers on the health effects of siren activation and failed to provide hearing protectors to its employees.
A determination on penalties and costs will be determined at a later date.
From ABC News
Posted by 4HL on February 18, 2005 12:22 AM
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