Risks to the hearing health of patrons and staff in the music industry have been well documented and in recent years, regulations have been introduced in a number of European countries as a means of limiting sound exposure for attendees at live music events such as gigs, concerts and festivals. In Australia, sound levels at live music venues are generally stipulated in planning permits and/or liquor licenses but are largely focussed on preventing the emission of sound to neighbouring premises rather than reducing risks to hearing of patrons or staff. In this study, we investigated the use of a sound level management system (10EaZy) as a way of reducing exposure levels for patrons and staff, without interfering with patrons' enjoyment of the musical performances. More than 200 sound level measurements were taken in six inner-city Melbourne venues during live music performances before and after installation of the 10EaZy system at each venue. Measurements from the before - and after-periods were compared in terms of overall level (LAeq) and also the proportion of time spent at high volumes. Preliminary results suggest that use of 10EaZy resulted in significantly less time spent at higher volumes, particularly for loud performances. Results of subjective questionnaires indicated that patron satisfaction was unaffected when the 10EaZy system was in use.
展开▼
