Musicians in Sheffield are at risk from serious damage to their hearing, local solicitor and Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) expert Martin Harvey has warned today.
Partner and solicitor at Wake Smith & Tofields Martin Harvey has issued the warning following an increased number of enquiries from musicians with hearing complaints including that of Sheffield based Steve Ford, who suffers from tinnitus.
Steve is a DJ and musician with the dance music project called Lahroiya: "I started experiencing ringing in my ears in November last year, first noticing it at night when the house was quiet. I cannot be sure how I managed to get it, it could be from DJing but most certainly isn't from producing because we keep the sound levels at a very safe level."
Martin believes that Steve is not alone when it comes to suffering for his art and estimates that many more musicians will feel the effects of intense periods of practice or performance without the necessary precautions.
"Everyone involved in music and entertainment has a responsibility to help with noise management. An employer, as in any industry, has a duty of care. In this case the employer extends to promoters, publicans and event organisers to ensure that legal limits of noise exposure are not exceeded and that reasonable care for health and safety is considered.
"Representatives from the music industry have been heavily consulted with Environmental Health Officers and the Health and Safety Executive to produce guidance and this can be easily accessed online.
"Sheffield is well known for being a hot spot for musical talent thanks to the success of Arctic Monkeys and Reverend and the Makers, and the recent Tramlines festival has certainly highlighted the fact that as a city we have a lot to celebrate musically. This is why it is so important to consider the long term affects, especially for people who rely so heavily on their hearing to create the next big sound and represent the city around the world."
Anyone concerned about the precautions required or for legal advice on working in the music and entertainment industry is asked to contact David Brown on 0114 266 6660 or email [email protected].