The Holiday Inn in Manchester City Centre was energetic as the UK Hearing Conservation Association (HCA) hosted its flagship annual conference. 80+ delegates – occupational health specialists, audiologists, musicians, acousticians, regulators, and industry trailblazers – gathered for a day packed with insight, debate, and genuine momentum. This wasn’t just another conference; it was a rallying cry to turn decades of “awareness” into real-world action and a plan towards implementation.
“95% of companies aren’t even checking if hearing protection works!”
The morning kicked off with an update from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) by Chris Steel (Noise and Vibration Specialist Inspector and HCA member) on Phase 2 of their ongoing Noise Campaign and associated data collated so far. The statistic that stopped everyone in their tracks? At least 95% of inspected workplaces were failing to verify the audibility of issued hearing protectors. Yes, you “heard” that right – ninety-five percent.
Delegates were walked through simple, immediate steps any employer can take today: build a priority list of noise hazards, map feasible controls, and treat it as a live management tool. “Stop treating the consultant’s noise report as a tick-box exercise,” urged the speaker. “Over-specification is costing you money and credibility. Use the free HSE resources that already exist!”
A balanced discussion, that gave security that noise management does not have to be complicated or costly.
Later in this talk, the quality of Consultant reporting was highlighted and to advise Employers to avoid over reliance of this report as a “tick box” to achieve compliance. Employers must engage with the Consultant to understand noise controls beyond the report and ensure that Employees are provided with clear instruction on the correct use of hearing protection.
Did you hear that? Time for action!
Focus on the noisiest problem – and celebrate the win
Echoing the “Awareness to Action” theme, the next presentation presented with immersive and interactive experience. Demonstrating before-and-after videos with simple, low-cost engineering fixes – slashing noise levels on-site. Gill Cussons (Noise and Vibration Consultant and HCA member) gave a clear message: don’t try to solve everything at once. Pick one glaring noise source, eliminate or reduce it at source and apply the hierarchy of controls.
And then the bombshell question that lit up the Q&A: “Why isn’t there a mandatory maximum noise output for new tools and plant before they even reach the market?”
Cue passionate debate about manufacturer responsibility and the “Buy Quiet” movement that continued over lunch. The fantastic news? The HCA is launching a dedicated workstream to explore manufacturer pre-sale noise standards. Want your voice heard? Join the HCA now – this is your chance to shape the future.
AirPods Pro 3 in the workplace? The jury’s still out…
After coffee, attention turned to hearing protection and fit requirements. David Greenberg (EAVE founder and HCA Director) addressed Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 and their much-hyped hearing health features.
The room was sceptical. Autonomy over volume, reliance on battery and Bluetooth pairing, a one-size-fits-all tip, and zero restriction on personal music levels? In safety-critical environments these are show-stoppers. Yet the panellists acknowledged the genius of built-in hearing tests, seal-check prompts, and hearing-aid functionality – brilliant for leisure-time education, but not (yet) a workplace solution.
Verdict: keep issuing proper hearing protection and remember the golden HSE rule – CUFF (Condition, Use, Fit, Fit for Purpose).
You can be assured to always capture the latest technology and product innovation in discussion with peers at the HCA – another good reason to sign up for 2026!
Musicians leading the way and saving their exposure
A standout moment came from Help Musicians lead by Fiona Butterwoth (Clinical Lead at Harley Street Hearing and HCA member), revealing how their groundbreaking scheme now gives every professional musician in the UK affordable access to specialist assessments and custom protection. Thousands have already taken the step. “Saving exposure for leisure time is just as important as on stage,” remarked one delegate – a comment that sparked animated corridor chats during the break.
You see in the music industry, “noise” becomes “sound”, no longer seen as a nuisance and instead a reconnaissance of enjoyment. Sound is wanted, meaning there has been a real challenge to change behaviours, to convince musicians that wearing protection does not inhibit how sound is received and preserves hearing health that stops suffering later in life.
Head injuries from contact sports, a hearing health hazard – who said that?
As the conference proceeded to close, the research presented by Jessica Andrew (Lancaster University, PHD Student) found that athletes accumulating repetitive sub-concussive impacts over time, are most likely to have challenges with auditory processing. Despite being a critical part of our interaction with the environment, issues related to auditory processing following head injuries are often poorly reported and assessed.
It was explained that auditory complaints associated with sports-related impacts are increasingly documented, including hearing loss, noise sensitivity, and difficulties in understanding speech, particularly in complex listening environments. Yet, these auditory issues remain largely overlooked by healthcare professionals, and there are currently no standard assessments in place to investigate these potential deficits systematically. This provoked some thoughts around health surveillance and pre-screening questionnaires for Employees as a management tool to capture this information to allow for reasonable adjustments.
Understanding these changes will contribute to the growing body of literature on repetitive sub-concussive head impacts in contact sports and may pave the way for the development of targeted assessments, rehabilitation programs, and preventative strategies to protect athletes from potential long-term auditory and cognitive consequences.
The Hidden Toll of Contact Sports: A Hearing Health Hazard?
A spotlight on a lesser-known consequence of repetitive sub-concussive head impacts – those routine knocks in sports like rugby, football, or boxing that don’t always cause immediate symptoms but accumulate over time. Jessica Andrew (Lancaster University, PhD student) presented the findings of her study. Revealing that athletes exposed to these repeated impacts are particularly vulnerable to challenges in auditory processing, the brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of sounds or noise.
Despite its vital role in how we navigate the world – from understanding speech in a crowded stadium to reacting to environmental cues – auditory issues following head impacts are often under-reported and poorly assessed. Noting that complaints such as hearing loss, heightened sensitivity to noise, and struggles to follow conversations in noisy settings are increasingly documented among athletes. Yet, these problems fly under the radar for many healthcare professionals, with no standardised tests currently in place to screen for them systematically.
This oversight raises important questions about athlete welfare: Could simple pre-screening questionnaires and ongoing health surveillance help catch these issues early? Such tools might enable reasonable adjustments, like modified training or protective measures, to safeguard long-term well-being.
By deepening our understanding of these subtle changes, this research adds to the expanding evidence on sub-concussive impacts in contact sports. It could pave the way for new targeted assessments, tailored rehabilitation programmes, and proactive prevention strategies – ultimately protecting athletes from lasting auditory and cognitive harm.
As the debate on sport safety intensifies, this work reminds us that the risks of contact sports extend far beyond visible bruises and it’s time to listen more closely to the silent threats.
The verdict? It just keeps getting better…
As the day closed, the feedback was unanimous: the HCA had nailed the brief. Speakers dovetailed perfectly, conversations spilled into every coffee break, and tangible actions left with every delegate.
This conference didn’t just talk about hearing conservation – it ignited it. Get over to the webpage to review this year’s delegates and exhibitors in more detail.
The HCA is now actively reaching out to operational teams working on the noisy front line. Whether you’re a site manager, factory supervisor, or entertainment technician, your experience is needed to drive the next wave of change.
Missed Manchester? Make sure 2026 is in your diary. Because when it comes to protecting hearing, awareness is no longer enough.
It’s time for action – and the HCA is leading the charge.
Join today at www.hearingconservation.org.uk and be part of the movement. Your ears (and your workforce) will thank you.
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