Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 – Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment Edition 3.0
181The calculation for converting the percentage of binaural hearing loss to a WPI rating is:
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181 The calculation for converting the percentage of binaural hearing loss to a WPI rating is:
7.2 Tinnitus
182 Table 7.2: Tinnitus is used to assess impairment arising as a result of tinnitus in the presence of unilateral or bilateral hearing loss.
Table 7.2: Tinnitus
| 0 | Continuous tinnitus which has nuisance value but can be forgotten or ignored with background noise or a low level noise generator. | | 5 | Severe continuous tinnitus which causes extreme distress, interferes with concentration and is not assisted by a low level noise generator. |
7.3 Olfaction and taste
183 Only complete loss of olfaction or taste attracts a WPI rating. If the employee is able to detect any odour or taste, even if unable to identify it, the degree of permanent impairment of the employee resulting from the injury is 0%.
184 WPI ratings from this table may not be combined with WPI ratings for the same condition from either Table 12.5.1: The olfactory nerve (I) (see Chapter 12 – The neurological system) or Table 12.5.4: Facial nerve (VIII) (see Chapter 12 – The neurological system).
Table 7.3: Olfaction and taste
| 5 | Complete loss of olfaction.<br>or<br>Complete loss of taste. | | 10 | Complete loss of olfaction.<br>and<br>Complete loss of taste. |
7.4 Speech
185 Table 7.4: Speech is used to assess impairment resulting from interference with speech from local lesions of the organs of speech.
186 For the purposes of Table 7.4: Speech, ‘speech’ means the capacity to produce vocal signals that can be heard, understood, and sustained over a useful period of time.
187 Table 7.4: Speech must not be used to assess speech impairment resulting from a lesion of the central nervous system. In such cases, assessment should be made under Table 12.3: Criteria for rating impairment due to aphasia or dysphasia (see Chapter 12 – The neurological system).
188 WPI ratings from Table 7.4: Speech may not be combined with WPI ratings from Table 12.3: Criteria for rating impairment due to aphasia or dysphasia (see ).