Music entertainment industry
Noise in the music entertainment industry
Music sound levels
Noise control measures
Noise in the music entertainment industry
For some 40 years or more music sound levels, as produced in hotels, discos, nightclubs and concert venues have become increasingly louder.
Amplifying systems have become more sophisticated and powerful. One only has to think of the truck loads of equipment being carted from one entertainment venue to the next to get an idea. On a smaller scale the sound systems used in venues such as nightclubs etc, are powerful enough to cause, next to high sound levels, a sensation of vibration in the body. This has become another experience which patrons apparently wish to have when visiting such venues.
As well as hearing loss, exposure to the vibration from loud speaker systems can cause internal organs to vibrate at a much faster rate than the body trunk. This in turn may cause damage to those internal organs.
Music sound levels
Sound level surveys conducted in nightclubs, hotels and other entertainment venues found average sound exposure levels from pre recorded or amplified live music in the mid ninety to one hundred decibel range. Peak sound levels were also measured in excess of 140dB Peak (C). Often with sound levels of this magnitude the base sounds are enhanced as well and cause a vibratory or thumping sensation in one's chest.
It is not uncommon to see young people standing close to a bank of speakers to experience this sensation.
With extended hours, workers and self employed people (for example, owners of venues and security guards) are working in these environments for longer periods of time. Shifts of seven to nine hours are certainly no exception. Because of this they are exposed more often, and for longer periods of time, to loud music than patrons visiting perhaps once or twice a week for a few hours.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights are the worst from a noise exposure point of view as they are generally the busiest nights with music sound levels the highest. Most workers observed during the surveys were not wearing hearing protection despite commonly working up to five shifts per week where shifts on Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights were often between seven and nine hours.
There are some common arguments as to why control measures cannot be taken in this industry:
" We cannot have the music at a lower volume as the public likes it that way"
or
" I (or my staff) cannot wear earplugs as they (the staff) must be able to understand the customer"
If no earplugs are worn at work chances are that in time he/she won't be able to hear the customer anyway.
While it is acknowledged that there may be some initial difficulty in understanding customers’ drink orders, experience has shown that this is overcome within about a week.
After the "getting used to" period the wearer of the hearing protector will actually hear better in the noisy work environment than without the protector being worn. If the wearer continues to experience difficulties in understanding it is probably a sign that some hearing damage has already happened.
In that case it would be better to try so called "musicians earplugs" which provide a flatter response over the frequency range. This has the effect of turning down the volume but without the distortion (a bassy sound) which 'Industrial' type earplugs often have.
"I have given my staff earplugs. I cannot force them (the staff) to wear them. It is up to them to wear them"
This employer does not understand the obligations placed on employers under the Workplace Health and Safety Act and Regulation. Where workers (and the employer as well) are exposed to excessive noise, as defined in part 10 "Noise", of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 (PDF, 1.4 MB), the employer has an obligation under section 69 to prevent the risk from that exposure.
This means that the employer must, if necessary, enforce the wearing of hearing protectors by the employer’s workers, as the employer cannot allow a dangerous situation to continue. (Bartley v Coles Myer, and Groothoff v Venues Unlimited Pty Ltd).
However, before the employer takes such action the employer must have provided proper training to the workers to enable them to wear the hearing protectors correctly.
" My staff cannot wear earplugs as the customer might think that the noise is too loud."
The following quote came from a 28 year old DJ who has worked in the industry for ten years:
" I already have the TV up twice as loud as everyone else."
The above are some of the more common answers we hear all the time when talking to people in the industry.
Noise control measures
As with all risk exposures in the workplace, risk management must be applied through a hierarchy of control measures, i.e. elimination, substitution, engineering and/or administrative controls, and as a last resort, or as an interim measure, reliance on protective equipment.
The control of music entertainment noise should, wherever possible, be controlled through engineering and/or administrative noise control measures.
Some examples of engineering noise control measures for loud music include:
- install a sound limiter to ensure that the music volume does not exceed a pre-set limit. This is particularly advisable in venues where different DJs operate the sound system. Sound limiters work on the principle that a warning is given that a pre-set level is being reached. If the warning is ignored the limiter cuts out the music
- install a sound ceiling above the dance floor. A sound ceiling consists of a structure suspended from the building ceiling with acoustic tiles and directional speakers mounted in it. This results in loud music over the dance floor but which drops by about 10dB at about one and a half to two metres from the dance floor
- enclose or partition off the DJ booth and bar area with glass or perspex to ensure the sound levels inside these areas are within the prescribed limits
Examples of administrative noise control measures include:
- rotating staff to limit their exposure to loud music by assigning them duties in quieter areas
- specify a maximum noise level in contracts with live bands, which must not be exceeded
Where noise control cannot be achieved through these measures an employer should provide suitable personal hearing protectors as well as proper instruction in their use so that exposed workers can perform their work in a manner which is safe and without risks to their health and safety.
Last updated July 27, 2005