A recent study has revealed that people working in pubs and clubs risk getting permanently impaired because of their long exposure to loud music and with more and more clubs getting licenses to remain open for longer hours, the problem is only going to aggravate.

"With more licensed premises opening for longer and playing loud, amplified music, staff working in bars, clubs and pubs might not realise their hearing is being put at such high risk," the BBC quoted RNID communications director, Brian Lamb as saying.

He said that the music at many places was as loud as an aircraft taking off, and since noise induced hearing loss is often cumulative and not immediately obvious, so the threat was seldom taken seriously.

"But the condition is preventable by employers having noise reduction strategies and providing hearing protection for their staff," he said.

The Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID) and TUC which are highlighting the issue as part of European Week for Safety and Health at Work, has said that excessive noise in the workplace has already caused hearing loss or other ear conditions in more than 500,000 people.

RNID has said that more than half a million workers are in the process of getting exposed to loud music for longer periods of time, and employers, should as such, do more to protect workers' hearing.

It said that industries associated with manufacturing and construction were the ones, which were affecting workers hearing abilities very seriously.

"Noise at work issues are usually associated with industries such as manufacturing and construction," Lamb added.

Health and Safety Executives are however saying that it is committed to helping to protect people's hearing while at work.

"Let me make it clear that we are not killjoys - we don't want to stop people enjoying themselves but we do want to protect workers' health," said Lord Hunt, health and safety minister, while announcing the piloting of draft guidance for the music industry.

"If bar and club owners don't protect their staff from ear-spitting noise they will end up in court. The industry must get its act together quickly before it's hit with a huge wave of compensation claims and enforcement action," said TUC health and safety officer, Hugh Robertson.

The RNID and TUC has suggested that local authorities and the HSE should carry out noise assessments and enforcing the current regulations in pubs, clubs and bars, adding that new guidance on controlling workplace noise levels were published only last week.

Asian News International
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1528401,00110002.htm