To mark Tinnitus Awareness Week, the NTIA are pleased to announce the partnership with the “Make Listening Safe” Campaign in the UK, an initiative of the World Health Organisation to increase the awareness of avoidable risks to hearing and promote the WHO’s global standards on safe listening at venues and events.
The industry has a huge part to play in safeguarding peoples hearing across our sector, from bars staff, performers, security and crew. Alongside the guidance developed by WHO, we are launching a campaign to work with the industry, to fund a training and accreditation scheme which will make people aware of the impacts and the methods to protect one of your most valuable assets, if you love listening to music.
According to WHO 1.1 billion young people (12-35) are at risk of permanent hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices (recreational sound) NOT working in noisy factories etc, with a report from the Commission on Hearing Loss 2014 calculating the cost of hearing loss to the UK economy to £24.8bn, not including the cost of healthcare
Should more motivation be needed, the Lancet reported in 2020 that hearing loss is the biggest modifiable factor in a person’s life course that will increase the risk of dementia. Mild hearing loss 2x, Moderate 3x and Severe hearing loss 5x more likely to suffer dementia.
With one in six people impacted by hearing loss in the UK, the NTIA’s aim alongside partners and key stakeholders is to reduce that number across our sector through awareness and education so that people can listen to music safely within the workplace, social or personal environments.
