To mark this year’s Tinnitus Week, on 4 February 2026, EFHOH President Lidia Best attended an event organised by Tinnitus UK and hosted by the Earl Russell at the House of Lords, in her capacity as Co-Chair of the WHO Make Listening Safe Workstream, supporting the implementation of the WHO Make Listening Safe initiative.
A key focus of the event was the newly launched Tinnitus UK report on unsafe sound levels in live music venues. The report presents significant evidence on the scale and preventability of music-related hearing loss, highlighting its impact on audiences, performers, and workers, as well as the resulting and avoidable pressure on public health systems.
Among the report’s key findings:
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1 in 7 people experience tinnitus
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92% of music fans report tinnitus after live music events
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Nearly 1 in 5 people now live with permanent hearing loss
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93% of live music workers have experienced hearing loss linked to their work
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81% of workers receive no training on hearing safety
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Music-related hearing loss is largely preventable, yet continues to strain health services
The report calls for clearer and enforceable sound level standards, proper training and protection for workers, safer venue practices, and safer listening as a routine public health measure.
EFHOH welcomes and supports this wake-up call, reaffirming its commitment to safer listening environments and to the prevention and accessible treatment of tinnitus and hearing loss across Europe and beyond.
Read the report from Tinnitus UK here.
