The Foundation for the Deaf says a change to compensation for hearing loss caused at work, endorses poor safety practices.
A report from the foundation says the introduction of a hearing loss threshold of 6% for noise damage claims condones harm below that level.
The report says the creation of the threshold is based on cost cutting rather than clinical reasons.
Chief executive Louise Carroll says the threshold suggests it is acceptable for people to suffer that level of hearing loss because of where they work.
Mrs Carroll says up to 60,000 people will be affected during the next decade.
