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[John Roberts {JR}]

How many hours does your boss spend in that sound environment?

Perhaps it's time to get a SPL meter and have a calm chat with the boss about SPL targets. And perhaps even some experiments about what the audience will embrace regarding reduced SPL. I would not expect the audience to always act in their own self interest regarding potential hearing damage.

I used to wear plugs on my motorcycle and if an employer told me I couldn't wear hearing protection I would walk.

The unanswered question is what happens if you turn it down low enough that you don't need the plugs?  If the audience embraces that lower SPL it's all good. If not it's a mess. Perhaps run some experiments with lower SPL and monitor bar sales, and audience feedback.

Good luck..

JR

[brian maddox]

It's very important to remember when it comes to SPL levels and hearing damage that the two factors are SPL and TIME.  Most people neglect to give the second factor the attention it deserves.

The issue for you in this job is not that the levels are excessively high [i suspect] but that you are exposed to them for a FAR longer time than the patrons of the club.  If i were in this position i would try to respectfully educate my employer to this issue as well as point out to him that you are using hearing protection that in no way alters your ability to do your job well.

If, however, after having a respectful conversation with this employer he/she continues to insist that you put your hearing in danger in order to continue working at this establishment, you need to find another place to work as quickly as possible.  Take it from an Old Sound Guy, protecting your hearing is the most important thing you can do when you're younger.  I was very careful with my hearing when i was younger and now that i'm 50 i am still able to make a Very Good Living in this industry as a result.  I also don't have to deal with the misery of Tinnitus and other issues.  Risking long term damage to keep a club job is undeniably NOT worth it.

[Chris Ballard]

This has all be extremely helpful. Thank you all for the tips. I plan on speaking with my boss as soon as possible. He is rarely in the club, and we do actually have an SPL meter that I get readings from every set. About 35 feet out, the Db levels are usually around 91.2 and I've been asked by patrons a few times to turn it up. And that's while wearing my ear plugs. I've never had a complaint that it was too loud while wearing the plugs.

[Jamin Lynch]

If you are exposed to "higher levels of audio" for 9-14 hours per day, then the volume would have to be kept below 85dba to meet OSHA standards without hearing protection.

 

[Tim McCulloch]

  This one of those rock in a hard spot situations.. and your employer appears to know it. He has no right whatsoever to deny you a safe working environment, matter of fact he has to make every effort to provide that. But that is hard to do in a club where patrons expect loud music and reducing levels to meet current safety standards may seriously hurt business... because partons to clubs have come to expect perhaps excessively loud music. Bottom line is your employer simply cannot stop you from wearing hearing protection, I would not tell him to get bent because that would most likely be a career limiting move but if he pushes it then you might mention that you wonder what your local workplace safety organization thinks about it.

Paul, I also suspect that acknowledging the SPL is high enough for the employee to wear hearing protection is seen as evidence that it's too loud for other workers and patrons, too, and therefore the club is negligent in either not offering free ear plugs or simply turning it down (with the likely negative patron response).  Management fears this could be used against them later.

You're right that this is a dichotomy - the need to keep workers safe and also provide the customer experience that results in extended and return patronage.

[Brian Jojade]

I can see where the owner is coming from. If you think you need ear plugs in because it's too loud, the patrons probably do too.  There are many clubs where wide open is the only volume setting they know.

When meeting with the owner, show him the volume readings you take from your mix position, FOH and where the crowd is.  It may be shocking that where he has you situated is significantly louder than what everyone else hears.  Also explain the danger over time. 9+ hours of loud music can be painful.  It's highly unlikely that any guests are subject to that duration and can put up with louder music for the few hours that they are there.

Then, the best thing to do is agree to a measurable sound level that is acceptable.  Using your ears to determine volume isn't an accurate way to do things. Measurement gear guarantees a more accurate result.

[Geoff Doane]

What about the customers hearing? If it's too loud for you, it's too loud for them as well.

The difference between the employee and the customers is that the customers can take a break any time they like and go somewhere else to give their ears a break (some may actually be that smart).  The employee is obligated to be there while he is being paid.  In this case, I think the employer is taking the wrong approach, and downloading what should be a management responsibility (safety of the customers), to an employee.

Our local symphony orchestra puts out a bucket of disposable hearing protectors as the musicians walk on stage.  Nobody is telling the horn section they shouldn't play so loudly!

As for how to deal with the OP's situation, since you have a way to measure SPL now (not that it is infallible), I would ask the employer to set some limits, and then see if that falls within the OSHA regulations.  If it does, it's pretty hard to argue, but I suspect you'll be over once time is taken into consideration, and he'll be forced to do something.  And in case it gets messy, document everything you can.  You may be looking for another job, and be able to use a settlement to tide you over.

GTD

[frank kayser]

<snip>
 I was recently told by my employer that I couldn't wear my earplugs, because if I had to wear them, it's too loud.
<snip>
Would I be in the right to tell my employer that I should be allowed to wear my protection?

Thanks

Twice I've been admonished for wearing earplugs while working:
1. As a worker on a factory floor, I was told it was a hazard to me and others as there was a large amount of rolling equipment, human powered and motorized, and it would be unsafe not to be able to hear things around me.


2. At an outdoor festival, I was mixing, and as I was putting in my earplugs, I was told that no one who works for them is allowed to use earplugs - the reason is that the mix would sound bad if I did.


In case one, I could see that as a reasonable demand - and the sound levels, though constant, were not THAT loud (long time ago, no way to measure).  Inattention on the workroom floor is a larger problem than the noise, I'd suspect.


Case 2.  IMO, that was totally unreasonable.  I ended up with one earplug that I moved from ear to ear throughout the day.  I finished the day out, and have not worked for them since.  I am very fortunate to be able to make those decisions without risking financial hardship on my family.  Most are not so lucky, I suspect.  One then the other ear may help your situation.  Maybe not.


I am not sure if your protection was muffs or plugs.  If muffs, those are painfully obvious and may trigger some type of discomfort in patrons or other employees.  Yes, I'm looking at from the point od saving YOUR hearing, not the other employees, not the patrons, and not the rest of the world.


Some custom plugs can be made with an attenuating filter that will pass some sound.  Maybe something like that will not catch the attention of your boss... I found these were good for motorcycling as some states don't allow full plugs in both ears (on paper, anyway)


Another workaround would to set up a solo or channel monitor setup to run with your iPad - in-ear monitors with either plugs, or phones.  You could make the case they were necessary for mixing the band.


In reality, nothing but a discussion and meeting of the minds with the boss will do.  Show you monitor sound levels to the same level with or without protection. See if it is an appearance thing - phones vs plugs.  Hearing is a resource that can be destroyed, and cannot be brought back.  You need to make that point as your future in this business depends on you making your point successfully.


frank

[Nathan Vanderslice]

Twice I've been admonished for wearing earplugs while working:
1. As a worker on a factory floor, I was told it was a hazard to me and others as there was a large amount of rolling equipment, human powered and motorized, and it would be unsafe not to be able to hear things around me.......

They should have been reported by someone. That's why equipment is supposed to have horns and alarms loud enough to be heard over the ambient noise in and industrial setting. It's getting even tougher as things like "man lifts" are now being made with alarms that sound off whether it's moving on the floor or the platform moving up or down. This along with the backup alarm.


frank

[Stephen Kirby]

Spend $40 on a pair of these:  http://www.earasers.net/   They go in your ear canal and someone would have to get really close to even see that you're wearing them.  They're not perfectly flat but there's no weird peaks or dips and you can compensate pretty easily.  I have a pair as backups to my Sensaphonic/Etymotic ER9.5s.  And if I'd found these first I could have saved $150.  And not look like I have hearing aids in.  There's a bit less bass attenuation, but even custom molded plugs can't reduce conduction and getting hit with loud bass.

Then talk to the bartenders and others about getting the owner to spring for some for everyone.  Much less than an hour's consultation with an attorney.

[ProSoundWeb Community]