Entertainment Noise
11Pages

Noise is a part of all of our lives and it enables us to communicate and enjoy music but it can also annoy us and most importantly it can be very harmful. > Not until you damage your hearing by which time it is too late to do anything about it! The effects of noise induced hearing loss can often take 20 to 30 years to become noticeable. Our sense of hearing is one of our key senses but if we damage our hearing it is usually irreversible, with the consequence of seriously affecting our quality of life. We are then no longer able to communicate comfortably in social gatherings, restaurants,...

Who will be affected? > Ensuring compliance with the regulations is usually the responsibility of the venue operator. These include clubs, public houses, hotels with live entertainment and concert or broadcasting venues. The workers covered included Bar staff, floor staff, glass collectors, stewards, security personnel, managers, musicians, sound professionals and DJs.Remember that although general members of the public or puntersђ are not covered by this legislation self employed workers are. What are the NEW action levels? Exposure L > EP,d Peak L > Cpeak Loweraction Values80...

The Action levels describe the recommended actions to be implemented when certain noise exposures occur. The legal limits are the point at which you startto break the law and could face prosecution . > A suitably trained practitioner should carry out hearing tests. These tests are usually carried out annually for the first two years of employment and then every three years. The great benefit of these programs is that any signs of noise induced hearing loss can be picked up quickly enabling the employer to gauge the effectiveness of their noise control programmes.Damage from elementsoutside...

Dosemeter Sound Level Meter When taking any compliant measurements ensure the instrument has been calibrated prior and after each measurement session using a suitable calibrator. It is alsoadvisable to use a windshield to protect the microphone capsule from any potential damage. The instruments should meet appropriate IEC standards for acoustic instrumentation. The instrument and acoustic calibrator should have a current Calibration Certificate from the manufacturer or an accredited test laboratory. Calibration Certificates are valid for 2 years and then need to be renewed. The person...

One of the best methods for determining noise exposures in theentertainment environment is with a wireless (cable free) dosemeter. This is because many workers are moving from one area to another and carrying out a variety of tasks. Also predicting or making assumptions as to the exact working patterns of this type of worker can be difficult. The time history data from a dosemeter gives a wealth of information regarding noise levels during an entire working shift and often highlights hiddenђ problems a survey with a sound level meter would not detect (such as gradually increasing noise...