Jobs with restricted access for deaf people

The vast majority of job roles are open to deaf people. However, there are a few roles where a specified level of hearing is necessary to enter the profession.

These include:

• Armed forces: A medical involving a hearing test is required. The Armed Forces are also exempt from the Equality Act. However, ‘civilian’ roles for the Ministry of Defence are open to deaf people.
• Police officer: Police forces will require recruits to take a medical before starting training. There is a national standard for the hearing level of police recruits. However, even if hearing is below the national standard, the Home Office guidance states that a practical hearing test should be carried out to find out how the hearing loss affects the person in practice.
• Commercial airline pilot: See the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website for more information.
• Seafarers (anyone working on a ship): People with severe or profound deafness may not be able to obtain the medical certificate required to work at sea. See Your health at sea (GOV.UK) for more details
• Railway engineers: The Rail Safety and Standards Board sets requirements for ‘Railway Safety Critical Workers’. There is a requirement to be able to hear radio messages and warning sounds through hearing aids. Read guidance on medical fitness for railway safety critical workers.  

Some employers for other types of jobs may require your child to take a health and safety or fitness for work assessment. Health and safety law requires employers to do what is reasonably practical to ensure employees are safe at work. However, this does not mean they do not have to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act.

Most health and safety risks for deaf people at work can be overcome through making adjustments. For example, technology can be installed to alert a deaf employee or visitor in the event of a fire alarm. If a deaf person can't hear a fire alarm system in a building, organisations must make sure that they can be alerted via flashing fire alarms or their work phone, which can be set to vibrate if the alarm goes off. 

Read our interviews with deaf people about their work and what technology and support helps them do their job.

See advice from the Health and Safety Executive for more information.