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Survey sounds out hearing problem timebomb in city

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Published Date: 09 December 2008
By ADAM MORRIS
AROUND two-thirds of people in Edinburgh are risking their hearing by listening to their MP3 players at too high a volume, a deaf charity said today.
A survey conducted in Edinburgh by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) found 67 per cent of people listened at more than 85 decibels – the globally-recognised safe limit.

The charity stopped 246 people on the streets of the Capital
and plugged their music players into a machine which detected the volume.

Around 22 per cent of those stopped in the Capital were listening at more than 100 decibels – the equivalent of standing ten feet away from a pneumatic drill.

They are now warning that there is a hearing-loss timebomb, with people unwittingly damaging their hearing, laying the foundations for some level of deafness in later life. The Christmas period has been chosen for the campaign in the anticipation of more youngsters receiving MP3 players as gifts.

Delia Henry, RNID Scotland's director, said: "Our research found people tested in Edinburgh are listening to their MP3 players at unbelievably high levels, with some people blasting their ears with sound levels of 100 decibels or more.

"One MP3 user was listening at 102 decibels for three hours each day, a volume they shouldn't be exposed to for more than six-and-a-half minutes per day.

"Many music lovers already running the risk of damage through listening to their MP3 players too highly will be partying to even more loud music during the festive season, completely oblivious to the danger to their hearing.

"With more people receiving MP3 players as Christmas gifts, it's essential they are aware of the risk and able to make informed choices and take steps to protect their hearing so they can enjoy music for longer."

Along with the publication of the survey results, RNID issued recommendations such as taking a five-minute rest for every hour spent listening to headphones; investing in "sound-cancelling" headphones instead of cranking the volume up on noisy streets; and wearing earplugs when in a nightclub.

EAR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW
EIGHTY-FIVE decibels (dB) falls somewhere between the noise of city-centre traffic and a shrill train whistle.

People who listen to their MP3s at more than 100dB may as well be hearing a motorcycle go past at close range or a power saw.

• Whisper 30 decibels
• Normal conversation 60-70dB
• Telephone dial tone 80dB
• Subway train 95dB
• Loud rock concert 115dB
• Gun blast 140dB

'I was aware of the risks, I just didn't listen'
PAUL HUNTER, from Broxburn, says he has to wear hearing aids after years of listening to his personal stereo too loudly.

The 36-year-old, a financial services worker at the Gyle Centre, said he is passing the safety message on to his children, Harry, five, and three-year-old Isobel.

He said: "Every day, from the age of about 13, whenever I was walking about I was listening to my Walkman, mainly rock music, turned up loud. Like most other teenagers I was vaguely aware of the risks, but I was very gung-ho, I just didn't listen.

"My preference at the time was for live music clubs and they were incredibly loud, but I never thought anything of it. Even at the end of the night when my ears were ringing, it didn't seem too bad.

"When I started at university at 18, I found it hard to hear in lecture theatres. I couldn't hear anyone unless they spoke directly into my ear."





Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 09 December 2008 10:20 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Online music industry
 
1

mobocaster,

Aberdeen 09/12/2008 11:05:25
"People who listen to their MP3s at more than 100dB may as well be hearing a motorcycle go past at close range or a power saw."

Nope. The comparison is quite wrong.

Motorcycles have been restricted to 83dBA since the mid 90s & 80dBA since about 2000. In fact, they suffer amongst the strictest noise regulation of any vehicle type in the UK.
2

Foo,

09/12/2008 12:15:33
#1 - That's in the UK, what about Australia, Canada or the Us where such restrictions don't apply?

The comparison stands.
3

reincarnated,

Edinburgh 09/12/2008 12:39:16
Pardon?
4

Hugh Roscombe,

09/12/2008 13:07:56
It drowns out the noise of the tram works.
5

Spock,

09/12/2008 13:12:31
The use of MP3 with a high volume is a personal thing. At least these people have the choice. It would be interesting to hear what the RNID have to say about the volume at the pictures. I have given up going out to watch a film now as the noise within the cinema is so loud.
6

MRP,

Edinburgh 09/12/2008 14:15:23
This is a worthwhile campaign, but I can't help but think it will fall on deaf ears.
7

celtic4,

USA 09/12/2008 14:43:58
There are no restrictions in the USA, but I wish there
were. Teens here will eventually have hearing loss, and won't listen to any warnings. Sad.
8

mobocaster,

Aberdeen 09/12/2008 14:48:39
#2

No, the camparison is still quite false.

Canada, Australia & many US states & cities impose noise limits on (roughly) post 1990 machines in the 70-94dBA range, with the vast majority falling in the 82-86dBA range & the strictest limits (80dBA & below) on post 2000 bikes.

In addition, both Canada & Australia are currently pushing even stricter limits.
9

Arrow,

edinburgh 09/12/2008 15:05:18
there is a problem when a pedstrian is walking with thier back to the traffic on some of the lanes in Edinburgh. i am reluctant to press the horn in case i skid on the mess but even revving the engine fails to cut through the noise in the earphones. do i dunt them gentlty with my bumpber or get out the car and snip the leads? please help!
10

Foo,

09/12/2008 15:30:00
#8 - Travel is a great thing, try it.

You stand on Swanston & Lonsdale in Melbourne and tell me there is a limit. Those bikes are way, way louder.

Likewise in the US.

Comparison stands, or you can back your assertions up?

Stands anyway: "may as well be hearing a motorcycle go past".

Doesn't state that its a street legal bike the person is hearing, what country (there's DEFINATELY no limits in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos) or if you happen to be standing at a Moto GP or not.

You fail.
11

mobocaster,

Aberdeen 09/12/2008 16:14:16
This article is aimed at Edinburgh, so maybe applicable to the rest of the UK. It does not concern other countries who have their own governments & saftey nannys to deal with this.

Funnilly enough, I remember just this sort of claim when they imposed noise limits here - When checked, the vast majority of machines were well below any proposed limits & the response to parliament from the (then) TRRL went along the lines of "We need enforcable noise limits for motorcycles because they can rarely be heard above other traffic noise." Yeah!

Noise regs worldwide are fully accessable online if you can be bothered to look.

As for the far east, I'd hazzard a guess that the vast majority of machines are still smaller 2-stroke models that will produce nowhere near the limits - Remember that a 2-stroke engine can often seem louder simply because of the frequency thing.

As for race tracks - You go there, you accept the risks. Irrelevant!
12

Rv2!,

09/12/2008 18:42:41
I wear sealed headphones that are designed as ear-protection. They reduce the outside noise by 20dB approx, making everything nice and quiet. Because of this, I can turn the music/podcast on quietly and still hear it just fine. My listening environment is quieter than the street.

One thing we do not want over here is an enforced electronic level like France has. Limiting the volume in the equipment makes no consideration for the headphones or other systems attached and is totally pointless and troublesome.

There is no way to stop this issue. So talk all you want, but do not try to build legislation around "personal listening" levels.
13

wolfette,

Edinburgh 09/12/2008 20:42:49
never mind the iPods - I pity shop workers in those "tartan tourist tatt" shops - the music blares out loud enough to annoy people standing at the bus stop on the opposite side of Princes Street ... what must it be like to work with that all day?

14

Foo,

10/12/2008 09:09:03
#11 - You're using very specific examples to back up your case. The example stated was

"People who listen to their MP3s at more than 100dB may as well be hearing a motorcycle go past at close range or a power saw"

That's 'a motorcycle'.

Not 'A street legal motorcycle'

Or 'A UK motorcycle'

Or 'A non-track motorcycle'

I win.
15

Foo,

10/12/2008 09:11:45
ps. You're wrong about the far east and Australia. And I forgot Japan. I've lived in both countries. I've had to cover my ears when Harleys have been going past, they are unbelievably loud.

Being gracious in defeat would be about the best you can hope for now.
16

mobocaster,

Aberdeen 10/12/2008 10:07:03
You don't seem to be aware then that Japan has about the most longstanding (1970s) & strictest noise limits on earth for motorcycles, with the testing & enforcement system to back them up! 71-73dBA applies to larger machines, with smaller bikes limited to as low as 65dBA. Incidently, most of the machines produced for export also comply with these regs as it only makes financial sense to tailor a few top-end models to individual local markets.

So all you are demonstrating is just another example of the highly subjective nature of noise perception & just how far that can vary from any reality. Much like the RNID in this case.

I don't read the article as being that subjective & as the preceeding sentence mentions city centre traffic, I think it would be safe to assume they are implying ordinary street machines. The mechanisms to deal with folk who have modified them outside the current limits have been in place for a very long time now.
17

mobocaster,

Aberdeen 10/12/2008 10:13:36
Besides - Even a good snog can make you go deaf.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7772902.stm

Maybe we should all get our chops pressure tested as well?

 

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