Officers to launch legal claim after hearing loss

SEVERAL police officers are preparing to launch a legal action after sustaining hearing damage during Bonfire Night.

Around 20 officers have taken legal advice from a personal injury solicitor and are working with the Scottish Police Federation ( SPF) after Police Scotland failed to provide adequate ear protection.

During Bonfire Night, eight officers were injured after they were attacked with fireworks and petrol bombs last November in Niddrie, a neighbourhood in the south east of Edinburgh. A further 34 officers have reported hearing problems.

Gordon Forsyth, health and safety assistant to the general secretary of the SPF, told 1919 Magazine: “The cops were exposed to two to three hours of constant barrage of fireworks. They’re still experiencing problems.

“Some of them may recover, but it’s likely for a few of them it will be a permanent problem, particularly the tinnitus.

“There are some who have come back to light duties – they’re probably the worst affected. For a few of them, it’s quite significant.”

It is understood Police Scotland bought around 10,000 sets of sound suppressors, equipment which allows officers to hear speech and radio messages but which protects against noise- induced hearing loss. These were not tested by Bonfire Night so were not issued to officers for Operation Moonbeam, the police response taken each year since 2018 to prevent public disorder.

Police Scotland stated hearing loss issues were reported by officers but no formal legal proceedings have been taken.

New legislation granting councils the powers to ban fireworks in problem areas was also announced last summer. These laws would allow Firework Control Zones ( FCZs) to be implemented, but Glasgow City Council is the only local authority to have started a community consultation to begin this process.

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “Firework control zones are part of a suite of measures to tackle firework issues and full details are now available to view on our website.

“FCZs will be enforced by Police Scotland.”