BT call centre worker says loud headset sound left him with ‘knitting needle’ ears – The Mirror

Mark Storey is suing BT claiming a noisy fault on a customer call left him with hearing so damaged even the sound of a Terry’s Chocolate Orange being tapped leaves him in agony

Mark says the noise in his ears is ‘intolerable’ (

Image: Champion News)

A call centre worker claims an intense high-pitched noise in his headset has left him with ears so sensitive the sound of a Terry’s Chocolate Orange being tapped on a table leaves him in agony.

BT worker Mark Storey, 48, says he suffered “acoustic shock” from a noisy fault on the line while on a customer call, and is now is suing for £30,000 for damages.

Mark has likened the “intolerable” feeling in his ears to a “knitting needle,” and claims his hearing has been permanently damaged.

However BT denies liability and says Mr Storey, of Carnforth in Lancashire, must prove that he was subjected to damaging noise and that his hearing was affected as a result.

Mark has now ‘developed a fear of putting anything over or close to his ear’
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Image:

Champion News)

In 2020, the case reached Burnley County Court, when Mr Storey’s case was rejected – but the Court of Appeal has now reinstated the claim, allowing him to continue his damages bid.

Outlining the case in the appeal judgment, Lady Justice Andrews said Mr Storey had been working at the BT call centre in Lancaster in April 2014 when the alleged incident took place.

He said he was taking a call when a “sudden intense high-pitched crackling sound” burst through the headset, which he described as “feeling like someone had put a knitting needle through my ear.”

Mark claims in his evidence that he threw his headphones down and told his manager what happened, adding his colleagues suggested a mass of cabling underneath his desk might have suffered a power surge and contributed to the sudden burst of noise.

BT, in its written defence to the claim say Mark had been provided with a headset which limits noise, and adjusts the sound to safe levels

“Mr Storey says he experienced symptoms of nausea and dizziness that evening and a high pitched multi-tonal whistling sound in his right ear, which caused him serious sleep disturbance then and since,” the judge continued.

“He also had a headache down the side of his head which lasted for 48 hours. The tinnitus persisted. He became intolerant of loud …….

Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bt-call-centre-worker-says-27166452