The UK’s first multi-disciplinary association dedicated to preventing damage to hearing health and to reduce other noise related health conditions has announced its launch.
News
UK Hearing Conservation Association announces launch
By on 01 March 2019
The UK Hearing Conservation Association aims to be a credible, independent source of information, providing practical advice and solutions to common noise and hearing problems inside and outside the workplace.
Speaking to Safety Management ahead of the launch, to co-incide with World Hearing Day on 3 March, founder member and occupational health practitioner Clare Forshaw said the idea came after visiting a conference of the National Hearing Conservation Association in America.
She realised there was nothing equivalent in the UK: “We have medical profession conferences and conferences for health and safety, but we never cross fertilise ideas for hearing conservation.
“We thought it’s important to get everyone passionate about hearing conservation under one umbrella – it’s an independent and credible resource for best practice, bringing all strands together.”
Hearing loss currently affects 11 million people in the UK, according to charity Action on Hearing Loss. The problem is also growing and it’s anticipated that by 2035 there will be 15.6 million people in the UK with some form of hearing loss.
UKHCA says the risk of hearing damage to people who work in high ambient noise environments and who also wear headphones or attend live music events in their leisure time escalates dramatically.
“We know people are exposed to loud music, for example, from a young age and in leisure. We have broadened our remit to influence and educate beyond the workplace therefore, but with a keen focus on workplace attitudes,” says Forshaw.
The first phase of work will be about awareness raising and sharing best practice.
Further down the line the UKHCA will look to ‘push innovation in the area’, to get manufacturers to develop more innovative products and to hold annual conferences. “What can we and should we do better? We will fill research gaps and lobby for change,” says Forshaw.
British Safety Council is pleased to support UKHCA, along with RoSpa, Institute of Acoustics, British Tinnitus Association, British Occupational Hygiene Society and the Society of Occupational Medicine.
For more information visit the website: hearingconservation.org.uk
Twitter: @uk_hearing, #loveyourears
NEWS
Government expands daily contact testing for critical workers
By Belinda Liversedge on 28 July 2021
The government has expanded daily contact testing with 1,200 new sites across frontline sectors, helping to avoid disruption to crucial services.
Only 5 per cent of firms expect staff in the office full time, says CBI
By Belinda Liversedge on 26 July 2021
93 per cent of firms plan to adopt hybrid working models, according to a Confederation of British Industry (CBI) report.
Masks only effective if ‘everyone does it’ warn health leaders
By Belinda Liversedge on 13 July 2021
Experience has taught us that we can’t guarantee people will behave responsibly to prevent Covid transmission and wear masks, the chair of the British Safety Council has warned.