The UK Hearing Conservation Association: how we work to promote the protection of the nation’s hearing health

In the fast-paced (and often noisy) world of work, the preservation of hearing health is more critical than ever. Whether in construction, manufacturing, military, music or even transportation, workers in various sectors are exposed to hazardous noise levels that pose significant risks to their hearing.

The UK Hearing Conservation Association (UKHCA) marked the sixth anniversary of its foundation this month and we continue to actively campaign to improve hearing health awareness through education, advocacy and leaning on the expertise across our multi-disciplinary membership to develop information and guidance based on real-life challenges.

The UKHCA will continue to campaign and provide solutions to hearing health challenges through our special interest groups. Photograph: iStock

By integrating hearing health into the broader conversation of occupational health and safety – alongside addressing personal listening habits and leisure exposures – the UKHCA aims to protect the physical and mental wellbeing of workers and the wider society.

The UKHCA commitment to hearing health and conservation not only addresses the personal and occupational impact of hearing loss, but also emphasises the social and economic costs of these preventable injuries.

We think we’ve come a long way in six years and believe our activities and awareness raising have contributed to the more common conversations now on noise and hearing health. Even the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has highlighted this topic as a particular concern and is in the midst of a focused workplace inspection campaign on the subject.

Supporting the HSE inspection campaign

Currently HSE is prioritising a workplace noise inspection programme which aims to increase regulatory visits to assess duty holders’ management of noise risks. HSE has promoted good practice in hearing protection management by encouraging duty holders to apply the acronym ‘CUFF’:

• Condition – is the hearing protection in good condition?
• Use – are the employees using the protection when required?
• Fit (for ear) – have the employees fitted the protection correctly?
• Fit (for purpose) – is the protection correctly specified for the task?

The results of this inspection programme were shared at the recent UKHCA annual conference in November 2024, with detailed reference to the data collected during inspections. This found that employees generally lack any training or awareness from their employers in how to fit and use their hearing protection correctly.

Leah Philpott is member of the UK Hearing Conservation Association (UKHCA)'s At Work Group 

Members of the UKHCA are already ahead of this requirement and published guidance on fit-testing is available on the Association’s website:
hearingconservation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/CHECK-IT-OUT-Poster.pdf hearingconservation.org.uk/ukhca-hearing-protection-fit-testing-an-introductory-guide/

Suitable attenuation of hearing protection is also poorly understood by employers, and duty holders need to understand the importance of ensuring sufficient protection without over protection leading to audibility and safety concerns. Environmental and situational alertness is particularly key if wearing hearing protection while working in live traffic, construction and engineering process sites.

In reference to the hierarchy of control it should be remembered that PPE (personal protective equipment) is always the last line of defence as, critically, its efficacy depends on it being used correctly and all appropriate times. Instead, duty holders should be ‘climbing up the hierarchy’ and first considering approaches such as introducing better engineering design solutions to mitigate the noise at source, adopting ‘buy quiet’ policies for plant, machinery and tools and ensuring health surveillance providers are using the most effective tests to allow for early intervention to prevent hearing damage arising.

A final area of interest to HSE’s inspectors is the competency of noise control consultants. These are sometimes commissioned by duty holders to carry out measurements to inform the employer of high-risk exposure areas as a baseline for compliance, but evidence suggests these are often found to simply be generic reporting.

HSE will monitor how this information is interpreted and integrated to improve noise control measures, as this is fundamental to success.

Making Listening Safer!

Another common challenge for hearing conservation is being progressed via the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Make Listening Safe campaign. This global campaign aims to address the risk of young people suffering hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices in predominantly recreational settings. One aim of the campaign is to drive headphone manufacturers to provide user information on listening risks and to limit maximum listening levels.

Unfortunately, the detrimental effects of hearing loss are irreversible, and once the damage is done, there is no way to fully restore hearing function. Promoting educational awareness from a young age can secure commitment to future hearing health awareness and protection. The UKHCA fully supports and is directly represented on the WHO’s campaign to give the learning and advice as broad a reach as we can.

What next?

The UKHCA will continue to campaign and provide solutions to hearing health challenges through our special interest groups, online resources and awareness campaigns.

We want to ensure there is greater emphasis on preventive measures rather than corrective actions after hearing damage occurs.

The HSE inspection regime is expected to continue over the next few years and the UKHCA’s events and conferences are a great way for duty holders and anyone with an interest in preventing hearing loss, either due to work-related or recreational exposure to noise, to ensure they remain up-to-date with developments in this area.

If you want to find out more about the UKHCA, including joining as a member, visit the website and social media channels:
hearingconservation.org.uk
@uk_hearing
linkedin.com/groups/13622372/

About the author

Leah Philpott is a health, safety, environment and sustainability practitioner. She is a member of the ‘At Work’ programme of the UK Hearing Conservation Association. Contact her at: linkedin.com/in/leah-philpott