Turn Up the Fun, Not the Volume! WHO’s New Guidelines Protect Gamers’ Hearing
Hearing is one of our most valuable senses, yet it is increasingly at risk. By 2030, over 500 million people are expected to have disabling hearing loss requiring rehabilitation, and over one billion young people face the danger of permanent hearing damage due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds from activities like music streaming and video gaming. However, most cases of hearing loss are preventable through safe listening habits and proper ear care. Our choices today will determine how well we hear in the future. Whether through reducing exposure to loud noise, regular hearing check-ups, or timely use of hearing devices, prioritizing hearing health is essential for a better quality of life.
This year’s World Hearing Day theme, “Changing Mindsets: Empower Yourself to Make Ear and Hearing Care a Reality for All,” underscores the need for awareness and action. The campaign encourages schoolchildren, adolescents, video game enthusiasts, parents, teachers, and older adults to take proactive steps to protect their hearing. It’s not just about individual choices—empowered individuals can drive societal change by advocating for safer listening environments, supporting those with hearing loss, and pushing for better hearing protection in industries like gaming. With gaming now a dominant form of entertainment, it’s time to integrate safe listening practices into the gaming culture—without compromising the immersive experience that players love.
Read more on the UNRIC website.
Builder sentenced after fatal fall of asylum seeker
A self-employed builder has been handed a suspended prison sentence following the death of an asylum seeker who fell from scaffolding at a domestic property in Bradford.
Sarabjit Singh, 44, was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
Mr Eraj Rahanpour, a 29-year-old originally from Iran, died after falling from height during rendering works on 25 August 2021. Mr Rahanpour had been collected by Sarabjit Singh that morning from a road in Bradford popular with people looking for casual, cash-in-hand work.
Mr Singh dropped Mr Rahanpour off at the site where he was to be paid £50 for six hours of labour, mixing products applied to the wall by two other workers.
More on the incident on the HSM website.
Annual Science Review 2025
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its 2025 Annual Science Review, showcasing the work it has delivered in support of the five strategic objectives outlined in the HSE’s 10-year strategy Protecting People and Places.
The 2025 review features more than 20 case studies from HSE’s science division with demonstrating how its extensive expertise, knowledge and capability delivers a positive impact on the working world.
The review highlights the range of research that HSE scientists are working on, from the safe introduction of hydrogen technologies and supporting the UK target to achieve net zero emissions, to assessing the evidence for safe levels of exposure to various toxicological hazards.
Learn more about the review on the HSE website.
Council fined following carbon monoxide leak at school
A Scottish local authority has been fined more than £13k after a carbon monoxide leak at a primary school in Bishopbriggs.
East Dunbartonshire Council pleaded guilty following the incident at Balmuildy Primary School in February 2020. A number of staff and pupils attending the school on 19 February 2020 reported feeling ill, experiencing symptoms such as headaches and nausea. Throughout the day, several pupils were sent home and staff had to take medication to relieve symptoms. The following day, testing for a gas leak revealed high levels of carbon monoxide present in areas of the school. The building was immediately evacuated.
Visit the HSM website to learn more.
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