For professional musicians, hearing isn’t simply a sense, it’s an essential part of their art and livelihood. However, many musicians still believe that hearing loss is just an inevitable result of practicing their craft. This is both an outdated and harmful frame of mind. Luckily, this harmful mindset is being challenged by growing awareness and recent legal developments which highlight how important using hearing protection is.
Rethinking hearing safety in loud work conditions
The music industry isn’t the only occupation that comes with loud settings. Occupations in construction, manufacturing, and other loud industries also encounter similar risks. However, these industries have typically been quicker to embrace protective strategies compared to the music industry. Several factors contribute to this discrepancy:
- Hazard Awareness: In construction and manufacturing, the range of hazards, like heavy machinery and falling objects, necessitates the use of safety gear like hard hats and ear protection. Protective equipment is a common expectation that is well-integrated into the work culture as a result.
- Performance Concerns: Musicians tend to shun ear protection devices because they’re worried that their sense of hearing will be dulled. There’s a common misconception that earplugs or earmuffs may interfere with sound quality or performance, in spite of evidence to the contrary. This resistance is usually based on outdated information.
- Cultural Norms: The arts often foster an environment where professionals feel lucky just to have a job, leading them to accept suboptimal conditions without objection. This culture of acceptance extends to inadequate hearing protection, with many fearing that raising concerns could jeopardize their career opportunities.
It isn’t only the musicians who encounter this “just part of the job” mentality, it also includes road crews, sound engineers, and event staff, whose hearing is also at risk. A considerable number of people in the music industry have experienced hearing problems due to this collective complacency.
Attitudes are changing because of legal precedents
Significant legal cases have started to shift industry attitudes toward hearing protection. This shift is highlighted by a groundbreaking legal case involving the Royal Opera House in London. A viola player, exposed to hazardously high noise levels from the brass section during a performance, suffered extreme hearing damage and tinnitus because of a lack of sufficient protection. The viola player won the case and the court’s ruling stated that the music industry needs to follow workplace safety guidelines, and that includes hearing protection.
Every profession that is overly loud, including the music industry, needs to have safety standards in place that require hearing protection, and this ruling is a crucial reminder of that. It’s also forcing industry leaders to make the health and safety of their contractors and employees a focal point.
Addressing acoustic shock and tinnitus
It’s shocking how many music professionals suffer from some level of hearing loss and tinnitus. Repeated tinnitus, irreversible hearing damage, and hyperacusis caused by exposure to extremely loud sound is known as acoustic shock. For DJs, musicians, and their crews who are regularly exposed to loud sound this is an especially acute risk.
Here’s the good news, musicians can now get specialty ear protection that will protect their hearing while still allowing them to get accurate sound fidelity.
Developing a culture of hearing loss preservation
The availability of effective hearing protection is no longer the issue; instead, it’s about cultivating a cultural shift within the music and entertainment industries. The goal is to normalize the use of hearing protection and move away from the antiquated notion that hearing loss is an inescapable aspect of the profession. The Royal Opera House case has catalyzed this change, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to safeguard hearing.
As awareness expands and protective strategies become standard, the incidence of tinnitus and hearing loss in the music industry should decrease. Hearing loss should never be considered “part of the job”. Protecting their hearing health and taking the appropriate safety measures is crucial for every professional regardless of what their job is.
By adopting this new paradigm, musicians and industry professionals can safeguard their most valuable tool, their hearing, while continuing to excel in their craft.
If you’re in the music industry and concerned about your hearing health, contact us to schedule a hearing screening.