NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1973 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 760

SENATE BILL 847

 

 

AN ACT TO AMEND THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ACT REGARDING OCCUPATIONAL HEARING LOSS.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 97-53(28)g. is hereby amended by striking out "To allow for the average amount of hearing loss from aging and nonoccupational causes found in the population at a given age, there shall be deducted, before determining the percentage of hearing impairment, from the total average decibel loss one-half decibel for each year of the employee's age over 38 at the time of last exposure to harmful noise." as the same appears in lines 20 through 26 of such subsection.

Sec. 2.  G.S. 97-53(28)j. is hereby amended by striking out "The employer shall not be obligated to furnish the employee with hearing aids, including accessories and replacement, in cases of occupational hearing loss." as the same appears in lines 3 through 6 of such subsection and by substituting in lieu thereof:

"The North Carolina Industrial Commission may order the employer to provide the employee with an original hearing aid if it will materially improve the employee's ability to hear."

Sec. 3.  All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 4.  This act shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 1973 and shall apply only to cases originating on and after July 1, 1973.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 23rd day of May, 1973.