Employers in the UK are legally bound to take action to prevent their employees from damaging their hearing as a result of workplace noise.
Noise levels at work
With noise-induced hearing loss accounting for one third of all work-related diseases according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, it is more important than ever to ensure you have adequate ear protection if you work in a noisy environment. This includes sectors you would expect such as construction and manufacturing, loud social settings such as bars, nightclubs and music venues as well as some you wouldn’t expect, for example: children’s nurseries and farms.
If you work in a noisy environment which regularly exceeds 80dB then your employer is obliged to assess the risk to your hearing health and provide you with information. The louder the sound, the less time it takes for noise-induced hearing loss to happen.
You can find out more about workplace noise regulations in the UK from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Steps you can take to avoid damage to your hearing at work:
Establish how noisy your workplace really is
Action on Hearing Loss state that if you need to shout in order to communicate to someone two metres away, your employer is advised to have the noise levels assessed. If the noise is assessed and exceeds 85dB, UK employers must either work to reduce the sound levels or if this isn’t possible, provide adequate ear protection. If you are an employer, the HSE provides information on what you can do to protect your employees from noise.
Protect your ears: what types of ear protection are available?
Employers in the UK are advised by the HSE to provide a selection of ear protectors to allow for staff to choose their preferred method. Some popular types include:
Disposable foam earplugs
Custom moulded earplugs
Semi earplugs on a headband
Earmuffs/ear defenders
If your place of work is not deemed to have unsafe noise levels but you want to protect your ears nonetheless, earplugs are an inexpensive solution – it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Ensure you are using ear protection effectively
Employers must ensure staff are aware of how to use the hearing protectors and maintain them properly. Ear defenders must be in a good, clean condition, with undamaged earmuff seals and no unofficial modifications. Compressible earplugs must be soft, pliable and clean.
Recommendations from the HSE on hearing protection include ensuring that protectors do not cut out TOO much noise otherwise users may feel isolated or become unwilling to wear them.
Reducing your risk from occupational noise damage in the long-term
Hearing damage from noise is not only related to how loud the noise is but also the frequency and length of exposure. These are all things to bear in mind when it comes to protecting your hearing at work.
The World Health Organisation advice on deafness and hearing loss prevention not only includes the use of personal protection equipment like earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones, but also reducing your exposure to noise on an ongoing basis.
You’ve enjoyed an evening out at a concert or a nightclub. You leave the venue with a ringing in your ears and everything sounds muffled, leading you to shout or talk loudly to your companions – does this sound familiar?
This is a sign of temporary hearing damage, something that happens when with the tiny, essential sound-sensing hair cells in your ears are injured by loud sounds above 85 decibels.
Why some sounds are more damaging than others
The human ear can hear between zero and 140 decibels. Anything above that is too painful to listen to and we simply cannot hear sounds that occur below zero.
Find out more about the different decibel levels of common sounds.
How can I protect my hearing and still go to loud music events?
It is not too late to protect your hearing. Preventing hearing damage to your ears caused by these noisy environments, while still having fun, can be easily achieved. If you are planning on going to live gigs as a family there are some simple steps you can take, ensuring you and your children will enjoy the music for years to come.
Here are our simple tips:
Move away from speakers
The closer you are to the source of a loud noise, the greater the risk of permanent hearing damage. Ensure you don’t stand directly in front of or near loud speakers or amplifiers. If this is unavoidable, perhaps you are surrounded by loud sound sources, ensure that you…
Take regular breaks
If you are planning on spending time in a very loud area, take regular breaks to rest your hearing. Action on Hearing Loss recommends using the chillout zones that some venues have, which are perfect for your ears to get some respite from the noise. If this is not available, consider taking breaks outside the venue.
Wear earplugs
Reusable earplugs are available that are designed to not muffle sounds for musicians and clubbers. These are an inexpensive solution for making the loud atmosphere at gigs and nightclubs safer for your ears without compromising your musical experience.
If you are attending a music festival, make sure you pack earplugs for yourself and ear defenders for your children – not only will they prevent hearing damage, they may help you get a good night’s sleep if you are camping!
Give yourself 18 hours recovery time
Your ears will need time to recover after exposure to a loud environment such as a gig or a nightclub. Allow your hearing at least 18 hours to return to normal, or make sure you have earplugs if you have to be exposed to a noisy atmosphere on a more regular basis.
What to do next
More and more DJs and musicians are getting smarter about their hearing and it is important that their audience are aware of their need to protect their hearing too.
Just by taking a few practical steps you can ensure that you can continue to enjoy the live music you love, safely for years to come. You will find lots of reviews of earplugs and ear defenders online, to suit your needs and your budget.
You’ve enjoyed an evening out at a concert or a nightclub. You leave the venue with a ringing in your ears and everything sounds muffled, leading you to shout or talk loudly to your companions – does this sound familiar?
This is a sign of temporary hearing damage, something that happens when with the tiny, essential sound-sensing hair cells in your ears are injured by loud sounds above 85 decibels.
Why some sounds are more damaging than others
The human ear can hear between zero and 140 decibels. Anything above that is too painful to listen to and we simply cannot hear sounds that occur below zero.
Find out more about the different decibel levels of common sounds.
How can I protect my hearing and still go to loud music events?
It is not too late to protect your hearing. Preventing hearing damage to your ears caused by these noisy environments, while still having fun, can be easily achieved. If you are planning on going to live gigs as a family there are some simple steps you can take, ensuring you and your children will enjoy the music for years to come.
Here are our simple tips:
Move away from speakers
The closer you are to the source of a loud noise, the greater the risk of permanent hearing damage. Ensure you don’t stand directly in front of or near loud speakers or amplifiers. If this is unavoidable, perhaps you are surrounded by loud sound sources, ensure that you…
Take regular breaks
If you are planning on spending time in a very loud area, take regular breaks to rest your hearing. Action on Hearing Loss recommends using the chillout zones that some venues have, which are perfect for your ears to get some respite from the noise. If this is not available, consider taking breaks outside the venue.
Wear earplugs
Reusable earplugs are available that are designed to not muffle sounds for musicians and clubbers. These are an inexpensive solution for making the loud atmosphere at gigs and nightclubs safer for your ears without compromising your musical experience.
If you are attending a music festival, make sure you pack earplugs for yourself and ear defenders for your children – not only will they prevent hearing damage, they may help you get a good night’s sleep if you are camping!
Give yourself 18 hours recovery time
Your ears will need time to recover after exposure to a loud environment such as a gig or a nightclub. Allow your hearing at least 18 hours to return to normal, or make sure you have earplugs if you have to be exposed to a noisy atmosphere on a more regular basis.
What to do next
More and more DJs and musicians are getting smarter about their hearing and it is important that their audience are aware of their need to protect their hearing too.
Just by taking a few practical steps you can ensure that you can continue to enjoy the live music you love, safely for years to come. You will find lots of reviews of earplugs and ear defenders online, to suit your needs and your budget.
Employers in the UK are legally bound to take action to prevent their employees from damaging their hearing as a result of workplace noise.
Noise levels at work
With noise-induced hearing loss accounting for one third of all work-related diseases according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, it is more important than ever to ensure you have adequate ear protection if you work in a noisy environment. This includes sectors you would expect such as construction and manufacturing, loud social settings such as bars, nightclubs and music venues as well as some you wouldn’t expect, for example: children’s nurseries and farms.
If you work in a noisy environment which regularly exceeds 80dB then your employer is obliged to assess the risk to your hearing health and provide you with information. The louder the sound, the less time it takes for noise-induced hearing loss to happen.
You can find out more about workplace noise regulations in the UK from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Steps you can take to avoid damage to your hearing at work:
Establish how noisy your workplace really is
Action on Hearing Loss state that if you need to shout in order to communicate to someone two metres away, your employer is advised to have the noise levels assessed. If the noise is assessed and exceeds 85dB, UK employers must either work to reduce the sound levels or if this isn’t possible, provide adequate ear protection. If you are an employer, the HSE provides information on what you can do to protect your employees from noise.
Protect your ears: what types of ear protection are available?
Employers in the UK are advised by the HSE to provide a selection of ear protectors to allow for staff to choose their preferred method. Some popular types include:
Disposable foam earplugs
Custom moulded earplugs
Semi earplugs on a headband
Earmuffs/ear defenders
If your place of work is not deemed to have unsafe noise levels but you want to protect your ears nonetheless, earplugs are an inexpensive solution – it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Ensure you are using ear protection effectively
Employers must ensure staff are aware of how to use the hearing protectors and maintain them properly. Ear defenders must be in a good, clean condition, with undamaged earmuff seals and no unofficial modifications. Compressible earplugs must be soft, pliable and clean.
Recommendations from the HSE on hearing protection include ensuring that protectors do not cut out TOO much noise otherwise users may feel isolated or become unwilling to wear them.
Reducing your risk from occupational noise damage in the long-term
Hearing damage from noise is not only related to how loud the noise is but also the frequency and length of exposure. These are all things to bear in mind when it comes to protecting your hearing at work.
The World Health Organisation advice on deafness and hearing loss prevention not only includes the use of personal protection equipment like earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones, but also reducing your exposure to noise on an ongoing basis.
Understanding why our hearing can get worse with age.
As we age, the tiny hair cells in our ears that help us to pick up sound begin to deteriorate. Throughout our lives this can be exacerbated by loud noise, a leading cause of hearing loss, as well as health conditions like cancer and chemotherapy.
Treatments for common age-related conditions like high blood-pressure, diabetes and associated medications, including aspirin, diuretics and anti-inflammatories, can also damage hearing and are also things to look out for as we get older. A common cause of temporary hearing loss is the build-up of ear wax, but identifying the condition early means the condition can be treated and hearing can return to normal. Many of us view hearing loss as just another part of getting older, like wrinkles or aching joints. While this is to some extent true, there are steps that you can take to minimise the toll that age takes on your hearing.
Noise-induced hearing loss can be immediate or it can be the result of repeated or prolonged exposure to loud noise. It is often associated with workplace noise but it is important to remember that there are everyday situations and leisure activities that can put you at risk. So you could suffer noise-induced hearing loss even though you are no longer working.
Concerts, sporting events and using portable hearing equipment at the gym are just three examples of situations where hearing damage could occur without you realising it. Try to be more aware of noisy situations and take steps to protect your ears; like asking for music to be turned down, standing further away from the sound, taking regular breaks or using ear protection.
Adjust your appliances and devices
A lawnmower can deliver a noise that is above safe levels if used for more than 15 minutes. It is just one of the noisy items we might use on a daily basis. Think about the appliances and devices you use regularly and:
Place noisy appliances on a rubber mat to reduce noise levels and close the door between you and your washing machine when it is on spin
These are all practical little steps you can take to reduce everyday household noise.
Wear ear protection
According to the British Journal of Hospital Medicine, hearing loss is on the increase in the UK and noise-induced hearing loss is the second major cause. With this in mind, using ear protection like earplugs and ear muffs in noisy environments is a sensible step to take. Don’t worry that you won’t be able to hear the music at a concert or follow a conversation at a noisy venue, there are some earplugs on the market will still let you hear clearly without damaging your hearing.
Keep your ears clean and wax free
The production of ear wax is a perfectly natural and essential part of our ears’ functioning, protecting them from dust, infection and foreign objects. Leaving this to build up, can however cause sounds to become muffled. Hearing aids and headphones can also prevent wax from leaving the ear naturally; as more and more of us are using headphones daily, this is even more important to bear in mind.
Attempting to manually remove ear wax at home can cause blockages and so it is recommended that you speak to your pharmacist about over the counter treatments to soften and remove ear wax, and if the problem persists, visit your GP.
Check your medicines for hearing risks and talk to your doctor
Ototoxicity is the term used to describe the property of being toxic to the ear. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASLHA), there are over 200 chemicals and medicines that are ototoxic, which can cause damage to your hearing. It may be difficult or impossible to avoid using these medications as a result of treatment for other health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and other age-related illnesses. Some antibiotics are also known to cause temporary hearing loss. The ASLHA recommends regular hearing tests and working with your doctor and an audiologist to mitigate the effects.
Have your hearing tested
A hearing test will measure your ability to hear certain sounds and will identify and help pinpoint possible causes of any hearing loss. Having your hearing tested regularly, or when you suspect there is a problem, can help you to ensure that temporary hearing loss doesn’t become permanent or take steps to prevent further damage.
How can I tell if I have a hearing problem?
If you are noticing changes in the quality of your hearing this may be a warning sign that you need to get it professionally tested. Signs that you may have a hearing problem include:
Difficulty following a conversation in a group or against background noise
A general sense that sounds seem muffled
Other people complain that your TV or radio is too loud
Hearing loss is on the rise, with Hear-it.org reporting that 16% of adults in Europe saying their daily lives have been adversely affected by hearing problems. That’s 71 million people aged between 18-80 who have a hearing impairment of 25dB and greater, as recognised by the World Health Organisation.
Action on Hearing Loss advise that it is important to spot hearing loss sooner rather than later as treatment is more beneficial if started sooner. Sometimes, hearing loss can be sudden but more often, it is gradual and you may not notice it for a while.
Emily Balmer, Head of Audiology at The Hearing Suite said, “When our hearing loss deteriorates slowly, it really can be hard to notice. One of the biggest indicators is actually small changes in your behaviour, or feedback from our friends and family. It’s very easy to let it slip by, but if you can consciously look out for some of the signs of hearing loss, you can more easily manage it.”
To help you identify the signs of hearing loss either in yourself or others, check out our handy tips below which cover adults, children and babies.
5 signs of hearing loss in adults
It is difficult to notice if you are losing your hearing gradually and other people may notice it and comment on it before you do.
However, here are five signs of hearing loss to look out for in yourself or others:
Asking people to repeat themselves and having problems keeping up with conversations
Misunderstanding what people are saying, particularly in noisy environments
Listening to music or watching TV at a higher volume than what other people require
Difficulty hearing when on the phone
Feeling tired or stressed from having to concentrate intensely while listening
For signs of one-sided hearing loss, you may find sounds quieter in general and often be unsure what direction sounds are coming from. Often, one-sided hearing loss is temporary and caused by sound being unable to pass through the ear due to earwax or an ear infection.
Whether you suspect you have temporary or permanent hearing loss, ensure you get your ears checked out by a hearing professional as soon as you can in case it starts to deteriorate.
6 signs of hearing loss in children
Due to older children having developed speech, it can be harder to tell if they are having problems with their hearing. These problems could lead to a child becoming more and more isolated, therefore identifying signs of hearing loss as early as possible is important.
He/she asks you to repeat yourself frequently and responds to questions inappropriately
Sometimes he/she seems to not be paying attention
Your child starts to speak louder than usual and/or aren’t clear when they speak
His/her schoolwork is suffering and the teacher notices they do not respond as well as other children
Your child looks at you intently when you are speaking, as if they are concentrating or depending on visual clues for interpreting what you are saying
Hearing loss in children can sometimes be caused by fluid build-up (glue ear) which is treatable so if you suspect your child’s hearing is suffering, ensure you get it checked out quickly.
Emily Balmer said, “It’s important that we treat hearing tests just like an eye test. Your child shouldn’t be nervous or scared to visit a hearing clinic, and should grow up with the habit of looking after their ears just as they would their eyes.”
4 signs of hearing loss in babies
Babies’ hearing develops over the course of a year, with him/her beginning to hear loud sudden sounds (such as a hand clap) shortly after birth, respond to prolonged sounds after a month, and recognise familiar voices at about 4 months.
Here’s four signs to look out for if you suspect your baby’s hearing isn’t developing like it should:
Your baby doesn’t seem to get startled by loud, sudden sounds
He/she notices you when they see you but not when you call their name
They don’t turn towards voices by the time they’re 4 months old
He/she hasn’t started to say any recognisable words by the time they’re around 15 months old
If you think your baby is having hearing difficulties, ensure you get him/her checked over by a healthcare professional immediately.
Rayovac is delighted to support the Ian Hutcheon Clinic for Children (IHCC) with a donation of Rayovac hearing aid batteries. The charity helps to increase awareness of hearing loss as well as making hearing and ear services more accessible in Uganda.
The IHCC was set up by Dr. Paul Choudhury and his wife Liz in the memory of their friend Ian Hutcheon, who devoted a lot of his time and energy into ensuring that young people were given opportunities in life to better themselves, both in the UK and in developing countries.
Dr. Choudhury explains: “Liz and I came to Uganda in 2010 to help a friend set up a home for abandoned children. Analysing the situation in Uganda, we soon realised that there was an enormous need for a hearing health care service for children.
“There is no such service available in Uganda and yet the prevalence is estimated to be high. In one small scale study in Uganda, the prevalence of disabling loss in children was 10.2% – nearly half was due to preventable causes. Only rich people are able to access better services by paying privately or going abroad.”
Free hearing services for Ugandan children
With Dr. Choudhury’s expertise in the field and Liz’s experience as a nurse and midwife, the couple wanted to set up a charity that would utilize their medical skills and decided to create a hearing health service in partnership with local government. This hearing clinic was to be embedded alongside other health care services provided at government health centres and was to provide free help to children up to the age of 16.
The main referral centre now consists of a sound treated room with two audiologists, a nurse, newborn and school hearing screeners and administrator. It offers a full pathway of audiological services from screening through to audiological assessment, hearing aid fitting and rehabilitation using up to date equipment.
Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) has recently been installed and is the only one in the whole of Uganda. Two UK Audiologists are currently training and empowering the local audiologists in the use of this modern equipment.
Dr. Choudhury adds: “We are currently introducing a new born hearing screening programme and school hearing screening programme. Various cadres of health care workers are being trained in these areas to provide both services. This is an exciting step forward in the development of our programme, with both services being new to Uganda.”
Poverty and the lack of resources
Running the IHCC has many challenges. As well as bureaucracy and the lack of trained audiologists and healthcare workers in Uganda, Dr. Choudhury regularly encounters poverty, which affects his patients’ ability to deal with their hearing problems.
Most of the young patients that visit the clinic cannot afford to buy hearing aid batteries on a regular basis. Dr. Choudhury says that some clients will go without using their hearing aids until family members have gathered enough money to buy new hearing aid batteries.
He explains: “Rayovac’s continued help with hearing aid battery donations will solve this monumental problem and will benefit a large number of underprivileged children.
“Being a small charity, funds are limited and therefore we have to manage the resources we have wisely. Offers of help, such as the supply of hearing aid batteries, are greatly appreciated and go a long way to helping us sustain the hearing aid programme.”
Paula Brinson-Pyke, Rayovac’s Marketing Director, said of the donation: “Rayovac are pleased to support the IHCC and the great work they are doing in Uganda. Their efforts in improving access to hearing healthcare for young people in this area are inspirational and we wish them all the best in the future.”
Improving children’s quality of life
Since he launched the IHCC programme, the first of its kind in Uganda, Dr. Choudhury and his team have improved the hearing outcomes of underprivileged children. He reports that many of the patients that have attended the clinic have shown improved academic performance and mothers have expressed their joy to see the difference that hearing aids are making to the quality of their children’s lives.
Dr. Choudhury praises his team; from the voluntary UK audiology advisers who regularly go to Uganda to train staff, to the local audiologists and screeners on the ground who are dedicated to providing help to the children of Uganda.
He adds: “We have a brilliant team that is slowly growing and is being trained to offer a very high standard of care.”
For more information on the IHCC and their work, visit: www.ihcc.org.uk
There’s so much to love about autumn and winter: getting outside to admire the leaves as they turn from green to red, gold and orange; resurrecting our ‘winter wardrobe’ and getting out boots, hats, scarves and gloves.
So long as you’re bundled up, there’s no need to let the chill in the air stop your fun. But, if you use hearing aids, autumnal and wintry weather can cause a few headaches, so here are a few tips to make the most of the coming months of cooler weather.
1. Cold weather, condensation and your hearing aid
If you wear spectacles, you may be familiar with them ‘steaming up’ when you enter a warm room after spending time outside in the cold: this ‘steaming up’ is caused by condensation. With glasses, it’s easy to see the condensation accumulating and you can act to remove it by wiping the lenses clean.
Like your lenses, hearing aids are also prone to condensation after an extreme change in temperature, but unlike when you’re wearing your glasses, with hearing aids, you won’t notice the condensation. However, you need to be aware of the issue because dampness can cause damage to your microphone and receiver – and it can also get inside the hearing aid battery compartment.
Solution:
Plug-in dehumidifiers and drying boxes are available for hearing aids. Leave your devices, with the battery drawer open, in the box to dry out overnight. For optimal results, remove the hearing aid batteries from their compartments to allow air to circulate inside.
Paul Deeble, Rayovac’s Technical Liaison Manager, warns that leaving hearing aid batteries in the dehumidifier may shorten battery life. He explains: “It is recommended you store the batteries outside your dehumidifier/drying box but don’t hold them together, such as in a pocket or wrapped together, as that may damage your hearing aid battery. Unless your battery has been exposed to extreme humidity, storing your battery inside a dry box can dry out the active ingredient inside your zinc air battery – meaning that you’ll have less power from your hearing aid battery.
Paul adds: “Rayovac’s hearing aid battery caddy is an effective storage solution for when your batteries are not in the device. Our caddies hold up to three batteries and comes on a key chain for easy transportation.”
2. Rain, snow and fog
The weather can often be unpredictable: we can get caught wearing hearing aids in the rain or snow without being prepared. This means your hearing aid can get wet or damp. Many modern hearing aids are showerproof and will withstand being out in bad weather, but it is always a good idea to enable the devices to dry out when you get indoors. Foggy days mean there’s a lot of damp around, so you need to pay particular attention to the care of your hearing devices on grey, drizzly, misty days.
Solution:
If you don’t have access to a dry box, you can use packets of silica gel or dried, uncooked white rice to remove moisture from your damp or wet hearing aid. Pop the packets or rice, and the devices into a jar and seal the lid. Leave for a few hours. In 2017, research was carried out to test the effectiveness of commercial desiccants and uncooked rice in removing moisture from hearing aids. The results showed that white rice was statistically similar to several of the commercial desiccants. So, if your hearing aids get damp and you don’t have a dehumidifier to hand, try using rice.
However, Paul states: “I recommend removing the hearing aid batteries before drying your hearing device. This will help to avoid potentially shortening the life of the battery through the drying process.”
3. Hats, hoods, and feedback
If you have moderate, severe or profound hearing loss and have powerful hearing devices with a lot of amplification, you may find that wearing a hat or a hood causes hearing aid feedback.
Feedback occurs when something gets too close to the microphone on your hearing aid, causing the amplified sound to be picked up by the microphone and re-amplified, causing a high-pitched whistling noise. Hoods in particular cause problems with feedback. If you have long hair, you may also be able to hear it moving around within the hood. It can be very annoying because it stops you from hearing the sounds you want to hear, such as the voice of your companion or birdsong, for example.
Solution:
A chunky-knit, close-fitting hat or headband that fits snugly and doesn’t move about may cause fewer feedback issues than a hood. Alternatively, use an umbrella: dome-shaped, transparent umbrellas are the best for people with hearing loss as they protect the user from wind as well as rain and allow you to have better visibility.
4. Wind Noise
Many modern hearing aids have noise-cancelling features designed to block sounds such as the noise of the wind. However, depending upon the type of hearing aids you have and the weather where you live, you may still find the noise of the wind troublesome.
Solution:
Using a hearing aid sleeve or cover while outdoors may give your hearing aid protection from dirt, sweat, and moisture. They should have no ill-effect on the sound coming into the hearing instrument and minimise the effect of wind noise. Ear Gear are an example of sleeves that are available for Behind-the-ear and In-the-ear aids, BAHAs and Cochlear Implant processors.
5. Out and about
If you’re going to be out after dark, it’s a good idea to make sure your hearing aid batteries aren’t going to need changing while you’re on the move. It can be difficult to handle tiny batteries with cold fingers and not at all ideal if you need to wear gloves.
Hearing aid batteries are susceptible to damage in cold weather, so it is important to store them in places where they won’t experience extreme cold, avoiding places like the glovebox of your car.
Solution:
Use a hearing aid battery tester to check how much charge is in the batteries you are using. If they have a low amount of charge, swap to new batteries before going out.
Paul recommends using Rayovac’s hearing aid battery testers: “Not only do they offer a quick and easy way of testing all zinc air hearing aid batteries; our battery tester also has a useful compartment for storing two batteries.”
On carrying your batteries, Paul advises: “If you keep the tester or caddy in a pocket, close to your body, your spare batteries will not be exposed to extreme cold and will therefore perform better.”
Conclusion
With a little care, you should be able to keep using your hearing aids throughout autumn and winter with no problems.
I hope this helps! Don’t forget to share your winter hearing aid experiences, hints and tips with Rayovac on Twitter at @HearwithRayovac.
World-leading hearing aid battery manufacturer*, Rayovac, celebrates a successful EUHA 2018 after announcing a range of exciting product upgrades.
The company welcomed hundreds of delegates to its newly designed stand at this year’s event in Hannover, Germany, where it showcased its latest innovations including an exciting “step-change” to its battery system.
Following a year of multi-million dollar investment, Rayovac, a division of Spectrum Brands Inc., also launched its next generation packaging for the first time in Europe. Designed in partnership with both healthcare professionals and hearing aid wearers, its latest ProLine Advanced packaging combines ease-of-use with a battery product that delivers on long-lasting power.
The eye-catching packaging delivers a wide range of benefits to offer the consumer the power to hear more. All hearing aid batteries in the ProLine range come complete with its “no battery lasts longer**” Active Core Technology, which offers high-quality, powerful performance, consistency, and reliability.
Visitors at the 63rd annual congress were able to see for themselves the award-winning new packaging features including easy access, longer and wider tabs that are easier for people with poor dexterity to use and perforated packaging, which provides a compact battery holder and allows for batteries to be transported safely and discreetly. A superior secure dial provides a more controlled turn and keeps batteries secure and protected, while a click-shut re-sealable mechanism ensures batteries don’t get damaged.
Paula Brinson-Pyke, Director of Marketing at Rayovac, said: “We were delighted to introduce our new Rayovac ProLine Advanced battery system to the European market at this year’s EUHA and the feedback from delegates was really positive.
“As always, it was a fantastic event, providing inspirational insights into the best of the industry’s current technologies and the innovations of the future.
“The new Rayovac ProLine packaging range marks a step-change in terms of our offer for consumers and, coupled with our long-lasting Active Core Technology, it is very much focused on meeting their needs and ultimately giving them the power to hear more. We have listened to what both hearing aid wearers and healthcare professionals told us and we understand that they want a product that works for them and their lifestyle.
“All Rayovac ProLine customers can benefit from our product upgrades as well as the wide ranging support tools, marketing and loyalty programmes we offer to help audiology businesses make the most of batteries as a revenue driver.”
The new packaging range will be available to Rayovac ProLine programme customers across Europe from this autumn. It is designed for those who are looking to offer a little bit more, enhancing the current offer for hearing professionals. It comes complete with a range of ProLine support tools including displays, printed marketing materials and digital assets.
EUHA attendees also had the opportunity to find out about the benefits of becoming a member of the ProLine Excellence Club, which supports audiology business growth and provides members with the tools they need to stand out in a competitive market place, including loyalty schemes and marketing programmes to encourage repeat visits and extra sales revenue. Members also benefit from 24-hour shipping.
For more than 110 years, Rayovac has been committed to continuously investing in research, development and the manufacturing process of hearing aid batteries. It provides hearing solutions for the 360 million people around the world with disabling hearing loss.
During its time in Hannover, Rayovac also hosted its annual Evening of Excellence event. The occasion has become an annual highlight in the hearing industry calendar, where the overall winner of the prestigious European Audiologist of the Year competition is revealed.
This year Benjamin Schadow, owner of Hörstil in Erfurt, Germany, claimed the coveted title of European Audiologist of the Year (AOTY) 2018 just weeks after being announced as the German Audiologist of the Year.
Paula continued: “It was fantastic to join our industry partners and celebrate the achievements of Europe’s finest hearing professionals. I’d like to congratulate all the winners on their success and thank them for the outstanding contribution they have made to the industry and to the lives of their patients.”
World-leading hearing aid battery manufacturer*, Rayovac, is pleased to launch its new range of product upgrades at EUHA 2018.
Following a year of multi-million dollar investment, the company welcomed delegates to its newly designed stand on the first day of this year’s event in Hannover, Germany, where its latest innovations are on display including an exciting “step-change” to its battery system.
Designed in partnership with both healthcare professionals and hearing aid wearers, Rayovac, a division of Spectrum Brands Inc., has invested significantly in its latest ProLine Advanced packaging which combines ease-of-use, with a battery product that delivers on long-lasting power.
The eye-catching packaging has been designed with a wide range of benefits to offer the consumer the power to hear more. All hearing aid batteries in the ProLine range come complete with its “no battery lasts longer**” Active Core Technology, which offers high-quality, powerful performance, consistency, and reliability.
Visitors at the 63rd annual congress are able to see for themselves the new award-winning packaging features including easy access, longer and wider tabs that are easier for people with poor dexterity to use and perforated packaging, which provides a compact battery holder and allows for batteries to be transported safely and discreetly. A superior secure dial provides a more controlled turn and keeps batteries secure and protected, while a click-shut re-sealable mechanism ensures batteries don’t get damaged.
Paula Brinson-Pyke, Director of Marketing at Rayovac, said: “We are delighted to introduce our latest innovations to the European market at this year’s EUHA.
“We are looking forward to welcoming delegates to our newly designed stand over the coming days and explaining more about the enhancements we have made to our products.
“The new Rayovac ProLine packaging range marks a step-change in terms of our offer for consumers and, coupled with our long-lasting Active Core Technology, it is very much focused on meeting their needs and ultimately giving them the power to hear more. We have listened to what both hearing aid wearers and healthcare professionals told us and we understand that they want a product that works for them and their lifestyle.
“All Rayovac ProLine customers can benefit from our product upgrades as well as the wide ranging support tools, marketing and loyalty programmes we offer to help audiology businesses make the most of batteries as a revenue driver.”
The new packaging range will be available to Rayovac ProLine programme customers across Europe from this autumn. It is designed for those who are looking to offer a little bit more, enhancing the current offer for hearing professionals. It comes complete with a range of ProLine support tools including displays, printed marketing materials and digital assets.
EUHA attendees can also find out about the benefits of becoming a member of the ProLine Excellence Club, which supports audiology business growth and provides members with the tools they need to stand out in a competitive market place, including loyalty schemes and marketing programmes to encourage repeat visits and extra sales revenue. Members also benefit from 24-hour shipping***.
For more than 110 years, Rayovac has been committed to continuously investing in research, development and the manufacturing process of hearing aid batteries. It provides hearing solutions for the 360 million people around the world with disabling hearing loss.
During its time in Hannover, Rayovac will also host the annual Evening of Excellence event. The occasion has become an annual highlight in the hearing industry calendar, where the overall winner of the prestigious European Audiologist of the Year competition is revealed.
*Based on internal company estimates of worldwide market share.
**Based on ANSI/IEC performance tests for sizes 10, 13 and 312 (except size 675).
***Exclusions apply. Orders qualifying for 24 hour shipment contain only ProLine branded products, are placed before 12 noon and contain 6,000 cells or less. Orders excluded from the 24 hour shipping guarantee include promotional orders, where there are any account issues such as customer credit, pricing or custom imprint changes. New customer set ups will not qualify for 24 hour shipping for their first order. 24 hour shipping does not apply when there are National holidays. See website for full T&Cs.
