OWHSWeek 7

OWHS Occupational Workplace Health and Safety

Why is it important?

Possible hazards (pre-during-post event)

Consequences

Laws

Responsibility

Common Sense

Noise Reduction

Laws and Code of Practice

Queensland

Code of PracticeNOISE CODE OF PRACTICE 2004Legislation

Legislation

WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 1995

Possible WHS Hazards

Electrocution

Slippery floors- falls

Falling over cables

Back problems from lifting incorrectly

Fire

Sound issues

Explosions

Broken bottles cuts to fingers

Fire extinguisher foam going off

Strobe lighting- epilepsy

Disability access. In case of fire.

Lighting- burns

Ladder falls

Extreme weather. Excessive heat. Outdoor events.

Physical impacts/stress of the gig. Mental health.

OWHS Tips Wear covered shoes

Wear earplugs

Lift with two hands

Bend with the knees

Use two people if lifting more than 23Kg’s

Clean up spills immediately

Make walkways clear from rubbish/gear

Be responsible if drinking.

Don’t touch house/stage lights let them cool

Noise IssuesNoise in the music entertainment industry

As well as hearing loss, exposure to the vibration from loud speaker systems can cause internal organs to vibrate at a much faster rate than the body trunk. This in turn may cause damage to those internal organs.

Music sound levels

Sound level surveys conducted in nightclubs, hotels and other entertainment venues found average sound exposure levels from pre-recorded or amplified live music in the range of mid 90 - 100dB. Peak sound levels were also measured in excess of 140dB Peak (C). Often with sound levels of this magnitude the base sounds are enhanced as well and cause a vibratory or thumping sensation in the chest.

With extended hours, workers and self employed people (for example, owners of venues and security guards) are working in these environments for longer periods of time. Shifts of seven to nine hours are no exception. Because of this, they are exposed more often, and for longer periods of time, to loud music than patrons visiting perhaps once or twice a week for a few hours.

Control Measures for Noise

There are some common arguments why it is perceived that control measures cannot be taken in this industry:

'We cannot have the music at a lower volume as the public likes it that way’

'I (or my staff) cannot wear earplugs as they (the staff) must be able to understand the customer'

Anecdotal evidence from patrons suggest they do not want the music so loud they cannot have a conversation and if no earplugs are worn by staff at work, it is possible that in time they will experience hearing loss sufficient to limit their ability to hear customers clearly in normal circumstances.

While it is acknowledged that there may be some initial difficulty in understanding customers' drink orders while wearing ear plugs, experience has shown that generally this is overcome within about a week.

After this adjustment period, the wearer of the hearing protector will actually hear better in the noisy work environment than without the protector being worn. If the wearer continues to experience difficulties in understanding it is probably a sign that some hearing damage has already happened or that the hearing protectors are of the wrong rating.

In that case, it would be better to try 'musicians earplugs', which provide a flatter response over the frequency range. This has the effect of turning down the volume but without the distortion (bassy sound) that industrial type earplugs often have.

Legislation

Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008, the employer has an obligation under section 139 to prevent the risk from that exposure.

This means that the employer must, if necessary, enforce the wearing of hearing protectors by the employer's workers, as the employer cannot allow a dangerous situation to continue. There are legal precedents (Bartley v Coles Myer, Groothoff v Venues Unlimited Pty Ltd and Young v Wildlodge Pty Ltd and Hannay) which deal exactly with the requirement to provide and enforce the use of personal protective equipment to prevent exposure to risk at work.

However, before the employer takes such action the employer must have provided proper training to the workers to enable them to wear the hearing protectors correctly.

'My staff cannot wear earplugs as the customer might think that the noise is too loud.'

Yes, the music is too loud for those working in the industry without using hearing protectors and may be too loud for the patrons. A prudent venue operator makes earplugs available for patrons and states their availability with a notice near the venue's entrance.

Noise Control Measures

Noise control measures

The control of music entertainment noise should, wherever possible, be done through engineering and/or administrative noise control measures.

Installing a sound limiter or compressor in the amplified sound system to ensure that the music volume does not exceed a pre-set limit. This is particularly advisable in venues where different DJs operate the sound system. Sound limiters work on the principle that a warning is given that a pre-set level is being reached. If the warning is ignored the limiter cuts out the music. Compressors, as the word implies, compress sound levels within set limits. For both systems, the venue would most likely need the services of a audio engineer or other competent person to set the appropriate sound level for the venue.

Installing a sound ceiling above the dance floor. A sound ceiling consists of a structure suspended from the building ceiling with acoustic tiles and directional speakers mounted in it. This results in loud music over the dance floor but which drops by about 10dB at about one and a half to two metres from the dance floor.

Enclosing or partitioning off the DJ booth and bar area with glass or perspex to ensure the sound levels inside these areas are within the prescribed limits.

Examples of administrative noise control measures include:

rotating staff to limit their exposure to loud music by assigning them duties in quieter areas

specifying a maximum noise level in contracts with live bands, which must not be exceeded.