Don’t Lose the Music

Thursday 02 October 08

RNID is a membership charity which offers a range of services for deaf and hard of hearing people and provides information and support on all aspects of deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus. It aims to achieve a radically better quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing people. Its work involves campaigning and lobbying, providing services, training, products and equipment, and undertaking medical and technical research.

What people need to know is that regular over-exposure to loud music can lead to permanent noise-induced hearing loss and conditions such as tinnitus (continuous ringing/buzzing in the ears). A small loss of hearing can have a huge impact on someone's personal, social and professional life.

RNID is campaigning to make sure young people and music lovers know that loud music can damage their hearing and how they can look after it when listening to loud music at gigs, clubs, pubs, festivals or on MP3 players. The "Don't Lose The Music" campaign encourages people to look after their ears now so they can enjoy music forever.

During 2005 RNID worked with representatives from the 26 local Councils in Northern Ireland to promote hearing health to staff working in pubs and clubs, and young people across Belfast, and to streamline the enforcement of Noise at Work regulations. Recently they launched the 'Like it Loud' campaign report. It shows a worrying lack of awareness among young people about how loud music in clubs, at gigs and on personal audio equipment damages hearing.
The report was sent to all Councils and the larger pubs and clubs across Northern Ireland, asking them to put in place measures of good practice to allow their customers to make informed choices about how to protect their hearing.

RNID has also challenged the Northern Ireland Assembly to educate young people about noise as a public health risk in the same way as drugs, alcohol, sex and other health issues are funded and promoted. They asked the Assembly to establish a recommended noise exposure level for audiences attending music venues and events. Similar exposure limits exist in countries such as Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and France.

If you want to know more about how to protect your ears or about the "Don't Lose the Music" campaign visit the website www.dontlosethemusic.com for interviews with famous musicians, competitions and much more.