72AIndustrial deafness

### 72A Industrial deafness > [*\[Section 72A Inserted by No. 42 of 2007, s. 19, Applied:31 Oct 2007\]*](/view/html/inforce/2007-10-31/act-2007-042#GS19@EN) > > > (1)  A worker who has industrial deafness is a person who has suffered an injury within the meaning of this Act, notwithstanding that the worker has not become totally or partially incapacitated. > > > (2)  A worker is entitled to compensation under this Act in respect of industrial deafness which occurred after the commencement of the [Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Reform Act 1995](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1995-016) . > > > (3)  A worker is entitled to compensation for permanent impairment under this Act in respect of industrial deafness which exceeds 5% binaural hearing impairment. > > > (4)  For the purposes of [subsection (3)](#GS72A@Gs3@EN)  – > > > > > > (a) the binaural hearing impairment is to be calculated by reference to the worker's hearing ability at the commencement of the [Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Reform Act 1995](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1995-016) ; and > > > > > > > (b) a worker's hearing loss is taken to have been sustained at a constant rate over the course of the worker's exposure to workplace noise in employment of a nature likely to have caused industrial deafness unless a hearing test that has been conducted since 16 August 1995, in accordance with the regulations, establishes otherwise. > > > (5)  The amount of compensation payable under this Part to a worker who suffers permanent impairment in respect of industrial deafness is to be calculated in accordance with [section 71(1)](#GS71@Gs1@EN) .