Defend not deafened

James Thomas, Project Manager for Midas, Pydar House, recognised a direct link between providing his staff with ear protection and supporting the local charity, Hearing Loss Cornwall, to further its aim in educating businesses, educational centres and individuals about potential risks to their hearing.

The team at Hearing Loss Cornwall were delighted to receive a box of ear defenders from Midas, Pydar House, to use in their “Deaf Awareness Training” sessions, so that people can get an idea of what it is like to live in a muffled world.

Responding to this donation, Clare Greenwood, ambassador for the charity stated, “Too loud for too long is wrong. Once hearing is damaged, it often can’t be restored. We would advise everyone to avoid exposure to noise, whenever they can, and wear earplugs in noisy environments. Sitting in front of speakers at a rock concert can damage your hearing in as little as 7.5 minutes!”

James Thomas agreed that, while the construction industry respond to the risk, other sectors of the community may not be so aware. “I think it will be a good idea if more people can benefit from these “Deaf Awareness Trainings”. I expect many young people think that it is only older people who suffer from hearing loss. I was quite surprised to learn that as many as 1 in 5 people in Cornwall are deaf or live with some hearing impairment and I was concerned to find that numbers are increasing.”