Quote:
Originally Posted by jonnywolfet
...its red-tape and beurocracy that is totally out of crontrol and context. next tey will be making the double-bassists wear gloves to protect thier fingers....
bloody safety in the workplace legislation.
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I think you are onto something in raising the issue of context. The Times article brings this up, but doesn't really take the point anywhere. I can certainly understand requiring employers to provide ear protection in, say, a factory with factory-floor noise levels above a certain point. But is an orchestra pit a factory floor...? Are the two even remotely comparable?
I also wonder if this entire issue wouldn't better be resolved by the musicians, conductors, and venues themselves. When I first started going to rock concerts in the mid-70s, typical sound levels were STUNNINGLY loud. A typical show today is still loud, but nothing like what I remember. I think musicians, promoters, et al realized that if they blew out peoples' hearing, they were putting themselves in jeapordy of lawsuits, and they modified their behavior.
There are still some bands that play at obscene levels (Lightning Bolt, Sunn, etc), but at most shows like that you will find ear protection available for free or at nominal cost. Beyond which, most people who go to shows like that know what they are getting themselves into.
Point is, I question whether this is an appropriate area for regulation.