Hearing dangers of nightclub work

By Liam Allen
BBC News

A report published this week said nightclub staff face permanent hearing loss because of constant exposure to loud music. So is enough being done to protect the hearing of club workers?

Music in clubs can hit 110 decibels - the same as a jet taking off

Billy Wiz spent five-and-half years working as a bar manager in Manchester nightclubs.

Eight hours a night of exposure to loud music have left him with damaged hearing in both ears.

He finds high-pitched noises painful, has little sense of sound direction and has trouble hearing conversations if there is background noise.

He told BBC News: "My ears would be ringing five nights a week after finishing work but after about an hour that would stop.

"It's only now that I realise what was going on because it was quite a gradual thing."

'No awareness'

The 37-year-old, who now works as an awards producer in London, admits he did not consider the implications of the job on his hearing because "you don't think about things like that when you're young."

Local authorities should be saying, 'hang on - this is how loud your speakers can be' and ensuring ear protection Billy Wiz Loud music 'risks staff hearing'

During his last year at the club he was given foam earplugs to distribute to any customers who asked for them but could not use them himself because he could not hear drinks orders.

Mr Wiz says he lays none of the blame for his hearing difficulties on the club management.

He said: "At that time, they just weren't aware.

"But I feel a little aggrieved by the way that, to start off, environmental health officers would come around to the club to measure sound levels outside because they were concerned about the impact of noise on local residents.

"Later on, they started focussing on the impact of noise on the clubbers but, even at that point, there was no mention of the staff."

He says safeguarding the hearing of staff cannot be the responsibility of club owners "if they're not being told what to do".

"Local authorities should be saying, 'hang on - this is how loud your speakers can be' and ensuring ear protection," he added.

Noise regulations

The report by the TUC and RNID found noise levels in some clubs were reaching 110 decibels - roughly equivalent to the level of noise made by a chainsaw.

HEARING LOSS PREVENTION ADVICE Reviewing venue layout and audience acoustics Breaks in quiet places for staff Wearing latest ear plugs which cut out only certain frequencies Monitoring of decibel levels Source: RNID

It is unthinkable that someone would operate a chainsaw without ear muffs for any period of time and yet, according to the report, club workers are subjected to the equivalent volume without any protection.

Yet the RNID and TUC say there is "little evidence" Noise At Work Regulations are being enforced by local authorities.

Under the regulations, employers can be prosecuted if they fail to protect employees' hearing if they are exposed to noise above 85db.

Richard Griffiths, manager of the Manufacturing Technologies Association - some of whose members are exposed to extreme industrial noise levels - says night clubs could learn from his industry.

"Ear protection is worn for all industrial noise over 80db.

"The Health and Safety executive and authorities do take regulations and enforcement very seriously and make sure employers are properly protecting their staff."

'Effective enforcement'

The Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services said that, in the case of the nightclub industry, the onus was on employers to protect their staff.

It is important to stress that it is the responsibility of employers of bars and nightclubs to ensure they are complying with health and safety regulations Lacors

Executive director Derek Allen said Lacors: "Lacors will be working with local authorities to ensure health and safety legislation relating to noise is effectively enforced and we will consider the findings of the report with the HSE.

"However, it is important to stress that it is the responsibility of employers of bars and nightclubs to ensure they are complying with health and safety regulations."

London super club Fabric says it makes that responsibility its "number one priority".

Technical manager Sanjeev Bhardwaj said: "Some clubs pay more attention to the power of a system rather than the quality of a sound.

HOW LOUD? 110 decibels - plane taking off 110db - noisy nightclub 90db - loud pub 70db - city street 50db - normal conversation

"But it's the power that causes the hearing to be damaged."

The club also provides hearing tests and optional specially-fitted earplugs to staff as well as providing ear plugs on request for clubbers.

Mr Wiz welcomes these measures and wishes there had been as much awareness about the issue when he was working in clubs.

At that time, ear plugs that cut out only certain frequencies allowing bar staff to operate as normal were not available.

It is essential staff are given "a push in the right direction", he says.

"At the end of the day, the majority of people working in night clubs are young and frivolous and they have to be forced to wear ear plugs."