Listen Smart – Safely Handling the Power of Sound

Sound is measured in decibels, loudness of sound
Prolonged exposure to loud sounds, starting at 80 db can cause hearing deterioration
Pain starts to occur at 125 db
Once its damaged, it cant be repaired
Doesn’t only affect old people- young people can be affected too
10-20% of high school students have partial hearing loss
More than 1/3 of all hearing loss is attributed to noise
People tend to not worry about hearing loss
Can happen quick as 30 seconds or gradually over time
Cochlear hair cells are used for hearing, and they cannot be replaced
Losing the hair cells mean losing the ability to hear
28 million americans are hearing impaired
Ringing in ears are temporary but can be permanent
Prevention is important, music artists protect their ears especially on stage
Cotton and tissues cannot protect your ears
Ear plugs are available at the drug store

Bars, nightclubs, orchestras, theaters, and recording studios, for example, are most susceptible to loud sounds
Reducing noises in music is to protect people, both performers and audiences, not to destroy art
Employers will need to prevent/reduce the risks of noises at work to protect the worker’s hearing.
Employers are required to prevent or reduce the hearing damage received at work, within reasonable amounts under The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, 2005
The law also states that employers and employees must prevent or reduce the hearing damage on the general public, too
To protect your hearing, choose a device that decreases noise to around 85 dB, and peak to 137 dB
Over-protection will make the wearer feel isolated
Properly clean the device for it to be effective

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