Best place to start is talk to the employee as part of a back to work process. Whilst a hard hat should not be a problem to source with a cradle that accomdates the implant hearing protection is a different issue. The listening piece could be unattached however this presents problems with possible contaminant ingress. Ended up re-assigning an employee to keep them away from a dusty and noisy environment BUT this was after talking to them and assessing their return rather than trying to pre-empt the situation. And yes had similar what to do thoughts before their return - much easier when it is the employees guided decision to make the accommodation.

Agree with Roundtuit, dont try to make any assumptions before you talk to him. I have had 2 employees with these and there were next to no issues once you got down to the nitty gritty. I can see the dusty environment being an issue, but it wasnt a problem I encountered

My daughter has two cochlear implants, so I'm aware of issues around the post-operative period and dealing with headgear. Some implant recipients will suffer from temporary vertigo during the post-operative period, due to the surgeon stirring things up in the inner ear. You may need to check that this has resolved when your employee returns to work. If returning at 3 weeks post-op, they will probably not yet have been "switched on" and will therefore be deafer than ever. Once "switched on", retraining the ear to listen through the implant can take many months - don't expect instant results. As rehabilitation progresses, the user may benefit from supplementary equipment such as a radio aid, particularly for meetings or for listening in adverse conditions. Just as with a hearing aid, the cochlear implant user will be listening through a microphone, which doesn't like wind, wet, dust or distance. The implant site should not have direct pressure put on it, and the external parts (the speech processor) are slightly larger than hearing aids, so selecting head protection can be tricky. Be prepared to try a few different models to find something comfortable and safe. The speech processor will have a maximum loudness setting, and will not transmit damaging noise levels. In high noise areas, the employee may well choose to switch off or switch down the processor and rely on lipreading. Ear defenders can be worn for the purposes of compliance. The cups will need to be big enough to house the speech processor without applying pressure. The microphone will be inside the cup, and anything rubbing on it will cause noise. Cochlear implants can be seriously affected by static electricity and by strong magnetic fields. Any area which carries a warning for heart pacemaker users should be restricted for cochlear implant users too. The user will have been issued with guidance by their implant centre.