With thanks to Teri Devine, Director of Inclusion at RNID  

Hearing loss is more common than you might think. There are over 18 million adults in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. There are also 12 million adults of working age who have hearing loss in one or both ears. The prevalence of hearing loss increases to over half of people aged 55 or more and 80% of people over the age of 70. It's estimated that 1.2 million adults in the UK have hearing loss severe enough that they wouldn't be able to hear most conversational speech.  

People's experiences of deafness and hearing loss can be very unique to them and not everyone will necessarily recognise that they have hearing loss.  

Hearing loss often happens gradually so people may take time to notice the impact that it has on their daily life. Some indicators that people may have hearing loss include:  

• Struggling to hear in group conversations or in noisy settings, such as pubs or restaurants  

• Turning the TV up louder than others want it 

• Struggling to hear on the phone 

• Often asking people to repeat what they say 

• Feeling that other people mumble 

Hearing loss can be confirmed through a full hearing test where an audiologist will examine your ears, carry out a hearing test (audiogram), diagnose any hearing loss and discuss treatment options with you.  

RNID's online hearing check is a quick and easy first step for anyone who may be concerned about their hearing. 

Effect on road safety 

There is no evidence that hearing loss contributes to collision risk. In fact, there is some evidence that those with limited hearing are more vigilant drivers because they are not distracted by music or conversation. Employers should work with individuals on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the driver feels it affects their driving performance, and how best to mitigate that. 

In most settings, hearing is intrinsic to our social interactions, so it is very easy for a person with hearing loss to feel socially excluded from conversations, meetings and 'water cooler' moments at work. This can affect mood and mental health, (see Chapter 3) both of which can negatively affect a driver's safety. 

What employers can do 

If an employee is diagnosed with hearing loss and has a HGV, bus or coach licence, they should inform the DVLA by filling out the AUD1 form. Drivers do not need to tell the DVLA about hearing loss if they only have a car or motorcycle license. More information can be found at www.gov.uk/deafness-and-driving.  

Employers should undertake a workplace assessment to ensure that employees with hearing loss get the support they need. It may be helpful to educate other staff about how to support colleagues with hearing loss.  

This might also include appropriate assistive technology or adjustments.  

This could include: 

• hearing loops in depots or offices 

• fire alarms and other essential alerts to communicate in more ways than sound only 

• ensuring any driver assistance technology which primarily uses audible alarms also has visual or haptic alerts for every notification stage 

• ensuring that training is delivered in an inclusive manner, including in-vehicle training. in-classroom training should be conducted in a well-lit space with good acoustics, including carpets and furnishings which absorb sound.  

• ensuring an individual with hearing loss can see the faces of anyone speaking 

• ensuring that interactions with customers, managers and colleagues are supported by technology if necessary 

The Government’s Access to Work scheme is designed to help organisations cover the cost of workplace adjustments. 

The Health Adjustment Passport is a document to record the support and changes (known as reasonable adjustments) deaf or disabled people may need at work. You can use a completed Health Adjustment Passport to support an application to Access to Work, which could help fund adjustments such as communication support or specialist equipment.  

RNID research has found that a quarter of deaf people say that they have experienced negative attitudes and behaviours from work colleagues in the last 12 months. When managers don’t understand a deaf employees’ needs it can inadvertently lead to exclusion from social conversations in the workplace, resulting in isolation and stress and impact on productivity.  

We recommend that employers undergo deaf awareness training to learn more about their employees’ needs and how best to support them.  

Resources 

Visit the RNID's website for guidance, information, resources and suppliers of assistive technology.