Workplace injuries are not always sudden or visible. In many Toronto and Ontario workplaces, especially construction sites, warehouses, and other loud or high-risk environments, harm can develop slowly over time. A worker may notice ringing in their ears, difficulty following conversations, blurred vision, eye strain, or sensitivity to light long after the exposure first happened. These symptoms can be easy to downplay at first, but they can seriously affect employment, driving capabilities, family life, and independence.
In the twentieth century, during the peak of industrialization, very little was done to prevent loss of hearing in factory or construction settings. In the same way that hockey players never wore helmets early in the NHL, this now seems extremely shocking to us.
Although modern safety standards are better, hearing and vision injuries still happen. When they do, an injured worker may need medical treatment, income support, and help navigating a WSIB work injury claim in Ontario.
In this article, we’ll explain how WSIB claims involving hearing and vision loss generally work in Ontario. At Goodman Elbassiouni LLP, our Toronto WSIB lawyers have dedicated years to helping injured workers navigate work injury claims and obtain the benefits they need when they run into delays, denials, or disputes with their employers. Contact us today for free to find out how we may be able to help you.
Why Hearing and Vision Injuries Are Often Overlooked
When you think of workplace-related injuries, you might think of something dramatic, such as an arm getting caught in machinery or something heavy falling on you. So much of what we see, however, is much subtler than that. Many people who worked in construction or mining before there was a movement to provide eye and ear protection suffer from a gradual loss of hearing and (to a lesser extent) a diminished ability to see properly. In cases where safety requirements are not upheld properly, this can happen to Ontario workers in the present, too.
Because these injuries may not stop a person from working immediately, workers sometimes delay reporting symptoms. That delay can create practical problems later. WSIB decision-makers often look closely at timing, employment history, medical records, test results, and whether the pattern of injury fits workplace exposure. A delay may make it more difficult to claim benefits when you truly need them. For that reason, early documentation matters.
Common High-Risk Work Environments in Ontario
If you’re working next to a jackhammer all day or mining nickel in Sudbury, use your common sense: the loud noise and the flying debris will eventually have a negative impact. While young people may believe that they’ll bounce back, a lot of these negative impacts only begin to show up over time. The last thing you want in your retirement is to be unable to drive a car or listen to music you once enjoyed.
Higher-risk settings can include:
- Construction sites
- Loud restaurants, bars, or clubs
- Factories
- Metal fabrication facilities
- Warehouses
- Transportation yards
- Mines
- Demolition projects
- Woodworking shops
- And environments where workers use or work near loud tools.
Eye risks can also arise where workers are exposed to chemicals, welding arcs, dust, sharp fragments, pressurized systems, or inadequate machine guarding. Employers, supervisors, and workers all have duties under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act to prevent significant harm from occurring. These include duties connected to training, protective equipment, and safe work practices.
How the WSIB Treats Work-Related Hearing Loss
The WSIB recognizes both noise-induced hearing loss and traumatic hearing loss. According to the WSIB’s public guidance on making a hearing loss claim, work-related hearing loss can be caused by a sudden acoustic trauma event or by prolonged exposure to excessive workplace noise. The WSIB explains that approved traumatic hearing loss and noise-induced hearing loss claims may include hearing devices and hearing health services.
It is important to be aware that having a claim number is not the same as having an approved claim. The WSIB states that a worker must have an approved claim before a hearing health care provider can prescribe and fit WSIB-funded hearing aids. This is why the evidence submitted with the claim matters so much.
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss usually develops over time. Workers may first notice that they turn up the television, struggle in group conversations, ask people to repeat themselves, or have difficulty hearing in background noise.
The WSIB’s current public criteria for noise-induced hearing loss include continuous exposure to 90 decibels for eight hours per day for at least five years, hearing loss of 22.5 decibels in each ear, and a pattern consistent with noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss.
Traumatic Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
Hearing loss may also follow a single incident, such as an explosion, sudden noise blast, direct ear trauma, head trauma, severe concussion, or exposure to an ototoxic chemical. Tinnitus, often described as ringing, buzzing, or hissing, can also be connected to traumatic or noise-induced hearing loss. Workers should seek medical attention and keep copies of audiograms, specialist reports, prescriptions, and any communications they have with the WSIB if they suffer from any of these symptoms.
What WSIB Benefits Are Available for Accepted Hearing Loss Claims?
The WSIB recently revised its policy to provide hearing aids and the requisite parts needed to power and maintain them to Ontario workers who have suffered hearing loss in a workplace environment. This is extremely helpful,
These may include:
- Hearing devices and services
- Hearing aids every five years
- Repairs
- Maintenance
- Batteries
- Hearing assistive technologies
- Loss-of-earnings benefits
- Return-to-work help
- Non-economic loss or permanent disability benefits
- And possibly more
These benefits can be very important, as they allow those who are retired to access the best possible tools to help them hear in the future. In addition, workers who continue to work but need assistance communicating safely also benefit. In a noisy workplace, missing warnings, backup alarms, verbal instructions, or radio communications can create additional safety risks.
What About Workplace Vision Loss or Eye Injuries?
Vision claims can involve different evidence than hearing loss claims and may be slightly harder to prove. Some eye injuries are obvious, such as a foreign object in the eye, a chemical burn, a welding flash injury, or trauma from debris. Others may involve worsening symptoms over time, especially where the worker has repeated exposure to dust, irritants, glare, chemicals, or eye strain.
Unlike hearing device claims, where the WSIB buys up standard hearing aid equipment for those who are hard of hearing, if your eyesight is failing, you may require highly individualized evidence. Glasses, prescription safety lenses, ophthalmology reports, surgical recommendations, medication, and proof of workplace exposure may all become relevant. Workers should be careful not to assume that WSIB will understand the full impact of vision loss without detailed medical documentation and a clear explanation of the work duties involved.
When A WSIB Hearing Or Vision Claim Is Denied
A denial does not always mean the claim is over. Claims may be refused because the WSIB does not see enough medical evidence, does not accept the work exposure history, attributes the condition to age or non-work factors, or finds that the worker missed a procedural step. In some cases, the issue is a missing audiogram, incomplete employment history, unclear medical opinion, or a failure to connect symptoms to specific workplace duties.
If you receive an unfavourable decision, read the decision letter carefully and pay close attention to the deadline. Our lawyers at Goodman Elbassiouni LLP assist workers with WSIB claim denials and appeals, including evidence gathering, written submissions, reconsiderations, Appeals Services Division matters, and WSIAT appeals, where appropriate.
Speak With a Toronto WSIB Lawyer About Hearing or Vision Loss Sustained on the Job
If your hearing or eyesight has been damaged at work, you should contact an experienced work injury lawyer immediately. The WSIB is there to help facilitate delivery of your compensation, but it doesn’t always work as it should; sometimes you need legal assistance to navigate the claims process with confidence.
Goodman Elbassiouni LLP represents injured workers across Toronto and Ontario. Our team has experience with WSIB and work injury claims, denied claims, medical disputes, and return-to-work issues. To discuss your situation, call 905-265-1005 or contact Goodman Elbassiouni LLP for a free consultation.