Access and hearing loss

What are the access issues related to hearing loss and travel?

Hearing loss affects approximately ten million people in the UK, which is roughly 1 in 6 of the population. Hearing loss can be mild, moderate, severe or profound and it can affect either one or both ears. 

 

Communication

It is estimated that there are around two million people in the UK who use hearing aids but research suggests that more would benefit from using them. Whether aided or not, people with hearing loss may have difficulties with communication and many people struggle to use a telephone or to follow conversations when there is intrusive background noise. Some technology is available which can help overcome these difficulties to a degree and for face-to-face communication training for frontline staff can be of enormous benefit in improving the guest experience.

 

It is worth noting that the vast majority of people with acquired hearing loss do not use British Sign Language (BSL): most use a combination of lipreading and technology such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant. BSL is predominantly (although not exclusively) used by people who are born Deaf or who become Deaf in childhood.

 

Our services and advice are focused on meeting the needs of people with acquired hearing loss - for that is the realm of our experience - and as hearing aid users, our communication/access needs are influenced by problems associated with verbal communication. Therefore, our solutions are focused on environmental factors, technology, processes, policies and staff training around these issues.

 

Enjoying on-site facilities

Accessing simple things such as watching television, ordering room service or going for a swim can be complicated by someone's hearing loss and reliance on hearing aids.  Attending business meetings, conferences and weddings can also be fraught with difficulties in hearing what is being said.

 

By providing and publicising subtitle-enabled televisions, amplified or Telecoil-enabled phones, hearing loops and having policies about the safety and well-being of guests with hearing loss whilst using spa facilities, you will be able to attract guests with hearing loss - and their travelling companions, thus boosting your income and hopefully, developing new repeat customers. 

 

Safety

Without their hearing aids/CIs, many people are unable to hear fire, bomb or carbon monxide alarms. People with single-sided deafness may also fail to be alerted by an alarm if they are sleeping on their 'good' ear. We don't have our aids in whilst sleeping, bathing or whilst drying our hair and so, there are long periods of time when in a hotel room, when we would be vulnerable in the event of a fire. For this reason, holiday accommodation providers are bound by legislation to make provision for the safe evacuation of people with hearing loss. There is specialist equipment available to alert deaf people to alarms and we can advise on and supply this equipment.

 

In order to demonstrate the gravity of a lack of safety equipment and appropriate procedures, we have compiled a news section which highlights cases of hotel fires and court cases relating to breaches of Fire Regulations.  

 

The Equality Act 2010 states that service providers such as hoteliers and accommodation providers are legally obliged to make reasonable adjustment for disabled guests and this includes people with hearing loss who might not be able to hear the fire alarm, especially when they are asleep. Making reasonable adjustment is not optional: it's the law.  Making appropriate equipment and evacuation plans available to guests with hearing loss is also enshrined in Fire Safety law in the UK. 

 

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