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Say What?

by Eoin Cregan • 23rd April 2008 • 4 comments

As of this month, the UK “Control of Noise at Work” regulations, originally put in place for the industrial sector in 2006, have now been extended to all work sectors including the entertainment industry. The law applies to employees working in venues where they may be subject to volumes over 85db and run the risk of symptoms such as tinnitus & general loss of hearing. All employees working in these conditions must be offered protection by their employer.

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The development of the law has once again highlighted the dangers of exposing your ears to high volumes without protection, and should certainly raise awareness amongst clubbers, DJs & musicians in general. Most nightclub systems pump music out well over 95db and medical research has proved that just one 20 minute session in these surroundings is enough to cause some level of permanent hearing loss. This research is quite alarming considering the number of people worldwide who frequent clubs & concerts on a weekly basis without protection, and worse still the reality is that a good number of music fans are already well aware of these risks but still go unprotected.

Earplug technology has been developed hugely over the last 5-10 years with a broad range of custom made & “one-size-fits-all” plugs available for musicians & those who work in loud conditions. Ear specialists have created plugs with attenuators that reduce the appropriate sound levels for musicians depending on their area, be it playing strings or brass in an orchestra, guitar in a rock band or sound engineer at a concert venue. Sound quality with musician ear plugs remains the same, excessive & dangerous levels are simply reduced. Clearly custom made plugs are more beneficial for musicians; however for the average venue employee, club or concert goer, the one-size-fits-all plugs will do the job.

Perhaps more countries will follow the UK’s example and introduce similar laws, in the same way that the US & Ireland paved the way for the spread of the smoking ban. Or alternatively we could simply turn down the volume, as the older generations always say, the volume of music in entertainment venues has risen dramatically since the days of the ballrooms & dancehalls!

For more information on hearing risks, symptoms & protection www.audiorelief.co.uk is a very good all round website.

Comments

  • DaveB @ 23 Apr 2008 11:57

    I think its really important to take care of your ears as there is no way they can be repaired. Mine were taking a bit of a battering following gigs, clubbing, dj'ing etc.. so I invested in a pair of attenuators (fancy word for ear plugs)- they were pretty expensive but work well as they just lower the level in a club and dont disrupt the sound- in fact the sound is more often clearer.
    If you are a regular clubber or gig goer, they are definitely worth looking into.

  • eoin_cregan @ 23 Apr 2008 12:01

    Yep you're dead right, I've had a pair for a few years now and I feel much more comfortable in a club. It can take a while getting used to talking to people as you have to raise your voice more. But like you say Dave, hearing loss is permanent.

  • cushens @ 23 Apr 2008 14:50

    YOu have to raise your voice more?? Surely its the other person who has to raise their voice?

  • eoin_cregan @ 23 Apr 2008 16:23

    Nope it's you as the plugs make your hear your own voice much louder when you're speaking. So you think you're speaking really loud but you're actually not!

    The plugs don't actually reduce the outside volume a huge amount, they just take away excessive & dangerous levels, other than that quality is the same.

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