Apropos of banning smoking in prisons as a health measure for staff, how long is it going to take before someone works out that bar and restaurant staff are exposed to unacceptable levels of noise?
If any of our employees are working with tractors, chain saws or anything else which makes a loud noise we’re required to provide ear protection for them.
If we didn’t OSH would be down on us. But music in bars is often far louder than farm machinery yet staff there have no protection at all.
Even without music, noise levels in some bars, restaurants and cafes are often well above comfort level thanks to modern architecture and design which likes hard surfaces and spurns the soft furnishings which help to absorb some of the sounds.
It can’t be good for the staff’s hearing and it’s not ideal for patrons either.
There’s a limit to how many times you can say, sorry, could you say that again. After a while I resort to smiling and nodding over dinner and hoping that’s an appropriate response to a conversation not clearly heard because the background noise drowns out what’s being said.
Homepaddock 
You have choices, Hp.
Even on the edge of Middle Earth you get to say lets not go there-it is too noisy.
When enough of us vote with our ears we will get the peace we desire and the food and ambience to go with it.
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Fred – I do choose not to go to noisy places when I can.
But what customers can choose doesn’t stop any other business from having to protect their staff from industrial noise.
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Have you ever been on a train in a carriage filled with school girls going home at the end of the school day?
Now that is noisy
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Fair point Hp.
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Gee whiz HP a good looking woman such as your self could be exposing yourself to a far greater danger than potential hearing loss with a nod and a smile at an after match function or a testosterone laden sports/political/farmers dinner.
You do make a very valid point, the degree of hearing loss among my peers from an ignorance of often spasmodic exposure to noise, translated to the exposure, less spasmodic and often to large numbers of younger citizens who seem unable to enjoy an evening without very loud music leaves me wondering who will pick up the tab.
I don’t think it is as big a problem for behind the bar staff as the lower ceiling and directional speakers aimed away from the transaction area but when they go out to clear glass back to wash, well thats another thing. I often drink close to the serving area when I venture out.
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