For professional musicians, hearing isn’t simply a sense, it’s a vital part of their craft and livelihood. However, many musicians still believe that hearing loss is just an inevitable result of practicing their craft. This is both an antiquated and harmful frame of mind. Fortunately, recent legal developments and growing awareness are driving considerable changes, challenging this harmful attitude and emphasizing the necessity of hearing protection.
Rethinking hearing safety in loud work environments
The music industry isn’t the only occupation that comes with loud settings. Vocations in construction, manufacturing, and other loud industries also face similar risks. However, these industries have typically been quicker to adopt protective measures compared to the music industry. There are a number of reasons for this:
- Hazard Awareness: Safety equipment, like ear protection and hard hats, is a must due to dangers like falling objects and dangerous heavy machinery. Protective equipment is a standard expectation that is well-integrated into the work culture as a result.
- Performance Concerns: Musicians depend on their hearing to perform, often resulting in skepticism about hearing protection devices. There’s a prevailing misconception that earplugs or earmuffs may interfere with sound quality or performance, despite evidence to the contrary. Outdated information is usually at the base of this misconception.
- Cultural Norms: People who make a living in the arts will often accept work conditions that might be less than optimal because they’re just grateful to be doing what they love. Many people in the music industry feel as if raising concerns could put their careers at risk so they keep their potential concerns about inadequate hearing protection to themselves.
It’s not only the musicians who face this “just part of the job” mentality, it also includes road crews, sound engineers, and event staff, whose hearing is also at risk. A substantial number of people in the music industry have experienced hearing problems due to this collective complacency.
Attitudes are changing because of legal precedents
Important legal cases have started to shift industry attitudes toward hearing protection. This shift is underlined by a groundbreaking legal case involving the Royal Opera House in London. A viola player, exposed to dangerously high noise levels from the brass section during a performance, suffered severe hearing damage and tinnitus because of a lack of sufficient protection. The viola player won the case and the court’s ruling declared that the music industry needs to follow workplace safety standards, and that includes hearing protection.
This ruling serves as a critical reminder that no profession, including the music industry, is excused from the need for reliable hearing protection. It’s also forcing industry leaders to make the health and safety of their contractors and employees a top priority.
How to deal with tinnitus and acoustic shock
It’s alarming how many music professionals suffer from some degree of hearing impairment and tinnitus. Repeated tinnitus, irreversible hearing damage, and hyperacusis caused by exposure to very loud sound is known as acoustic shock. For DJs, musicians, and their crews who are continuously exposed to loud sound this is an especially acute risk.
Fortunately, contemporary hearing protection technologies, including specialty earplugs and earmuffs, are designed to protect hearing without compromising sound quality.
Nurturing hearing loss prevention as a culture
Today it’s all about creating a cultural shift in the entertainment and music industry, not about being able to find specialized hearing protection. The objective is to normalize the use of hearing protection and shift away from the antiquated notion that hearing loss is an unavoidable aspect of the profession. The case of the Royal Opera House underscores the need to safeguard people’s hearing by taking proactive measures.
The prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus in the music industry should decrease with the increase of awareness and proactive measures. Hearing loss should never be considered “part of the job”. It is crucial for all professionals, regardless of their discipline, to prioritize their hearing health and advocate for necessary protections.
With this paradigm shift, professionals in the music industry can continue to practice their craft while still safeguarding their most valuable tool, their hearing.
Call us for a consultation if you are in the music industry and have concerns about the health of your hearing.