Your hearing…. Your career! You work in a noisy environment; is it affecting your hearing?

When we listen to loud sounds the mechanism of the ear can go into spasm and lose its flexibility and can, itself, also produce sound. Usually, the ear recovers in a matter of hours and any ringing (tinnitus) will stop. If the ear does not have time to recover and is subjected to high sound levels again and again it will lose the ability to work normally i.e. YOU WILL GO DEAF!

Noise in the workplace. The Hertfordshire Music Service takes its responsibility as an employer seriously in this respect and is concerned that all employees (you) are aware of the health and safety aspects of noise related to the job you do. Put simply; if you are exposed to high levels of noise during your job you must either limit the time you are exposed to that noise or be offered some form of hearing protection.

Most of us are rarely exposed to very high sound levels when we teach. Some of us probably reach very high sound levels for short periods. A few of us probably reach our weekly exposure limits after only a few hours teaching. Which category do you fall into?

Sound levels are measured in two ways. One is to measure the loudest noise you are exposed to. The more common way is to calculate an average figure. Part of the equation is the length of time you are exposed to noise. It is a calculation of the average sound level over time. From this come the recommended daily and weekly exposure levels. Some of us may approach this daily or weekly “noise-dose” and think we’re OK but when added to all the other noise you encounter during the week you may be exceeding your weekly “noise-dose”. It is therefore important to check on how many hours you spend in places where noise may be at a dangerous level. If you are not sure whether you are being exposed to dangerously high noise levels check in the tables (shown later). Or I can come and test the sound levels in your teaching-room.

The Law Health and Safety legislation says that when there is exposure to a sound level of 80dB employees should be made aware of the dangers and “reasonable precautions” should be taken. When exposure is at a level of 85dB then action must be taken. The following table shows typical levels and hours to reach daily doses. It does not show the peak levels to which you may be exposed. These will be much higher.

The table below shows sound levels for various activities and time to reach your daily permitted dose. ActivityTypical level {dB(A)} Contact time per day to exceed 80 dB(A) Contact time per day to exceed 85 dB(A) Conducting jazz practice band94~15 minutes 1 hour Conducting stage band91~ 20 minutes~ 1 hour Conducting junior wind band90~40 minutes ~ 2.5 hours Percussion teaching91~30 minutes 2 hours Sax teaching90~40 minutes ~ 2.5 hours Horn teaching89 2 hours ~ 3 hours Trumpet teaching88 ~ 1 hour 4 hours Conducting wind band86 2 hours~ 6 hours Flute teaching84~3 hours> 8 hours Clarinet teaching84~ 3 hours> 8 hours Voice teaching84~ 3 hours> 8 hours Violin teaching78> 8 hours>> 8 hours Piano teaching78> 8 hours>> 8 hours Cello teaching76> 8 hours>> 8 hours

Dose calculator You can download this calculator and enter the number of hours of each type of sound you are exposed to and find your weekly noise dose.

Even if you are in the last group and fall below the 80dB action level your total weekly exposure may exceed the limit when all your other activities are included. If you are in the middle group you should try to find ways of working which reduce sound levels or consider some form of hearing protection. If you are in the top category you must take action (which will probably mean wearing ear protection).

What form of hearing protection to use? Simple foam plugs. Cheap, effective but you lose natural sound quality, especially top end. Not reusable. 15p Moldable wax plugs. Good fit. Almost too good at reducing sound. Reusable but not very hygienic. 25p Flexible plastic plugs. Reasonable price. Reusable. Fairly effective. £1.50 Flexible plastic plugs with inserts to allow certain frequencies through (attenuated reduction). £20 All the way up to…. Custom molded, attenuated, deep in the ear plugs. £175

If I haven’t scarred you enough…

What to do next. Try these links to useful web resources: If you would like to help with our research then please fill in a questionnaire. Most of all……look after your hearing but also consider what the noise you generate may be doing to others.