PLANS to create the first construction-specific deaf awareness and hearing loss training programme have been announced.
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), Bovis, RNID, Unseen Aware, Safety in Design and Heathrow are collaborating on the initiative. The training, supported by CITB’s Industry Impact Fund, will bring together lived experience, behavioural science, health and safety expertise, and industry insight to create training described as both practical and impactful.
There are an estimated 328,000 construction workers living with hearing impairments or tinnitus. With three in four construction workers exposed to hazardous noise levels, hearing loss is one of the industry’s most significant health, safety, and inclusion challenges. The impact of this extends far beyond hearing, and untreated hearing loss can increase the risk of workplace accidents, affect communication, reduce productivity, and create barriers to inclusion on site.
The pilot project will initially train at least 500 individuals across multiple organisations, including Bovis, Sir Robert McAlpine, Graham Builders, Kier, Wates, Ferrovial Construction Holdings Limited, Volker FitzPatrick, Mace, and Costain Group. These companies have all committed to deliver training at a site level and through their supply chain partners to capture people supervising and working on site.
The training will include eight specialist free-of-charge training modules designed for individuals, managers, employers, and construction organisations, combining interactive e-learning, subtitled and BSL-supported videos provided by ITV and knowledge checks to maximise engagement and accessibility.
Participants will learn how to:
- Understand the different types and causes of hearing loss and their impact in construction environments
- Recognise the everyday challenges faced by deaf and hard of hearing colleagues
- Apply practical communication techniques that improve safety, collaboration and productivity
- Create psychologically safe workplaces where everyone can thrive
- Improve recruitment, onboarding and retention practices to attract and support deaf talent.
Vanessa Freeman, head of grant and funding products at CITB, said, “We’re really pleased to be supporting such an important initiative for the industry. Research suggests that around 26% of the manual construction workforce experiences some form of hearing-related condition. We need to ensure deaf awareness training becomes more widely available so that those struggling with hearing impairments in construction feel safe and supported at work, and those around them can recognise the challenges they face.”
The training is currently under development, and the pilot delivery will be launching next year, available free of charge via CITB.
