Health <strong>risks</strong> <strong>from</strong> <strong>exposure</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>noise</strong> <strong>from</strong> <strong>personal</strong> <strong>music</strong> players2. TERMS OF REFERENCEThe SCENIHR is asked <strong>to</strong> assess, in the light <strong>of</strong> current scientific data and knowledge:1. Whether the <strong>exposure</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>noise</strong> <strong>from</strong> devices like <strong>personal</strong> <strong>music</strong> players and mobilephones with this function, at levels corresponding <strong>to</strong> current permissible <strong>noise</strong>emissions may cause quantifiable <strong>health</strong> <strong>risks</strong>, in particular hearing loss and/orhearing impairment <strong>to</strong> the user, and <strong>to</strong> specify the relevant outcomes;2. In case <strong>health</strong> <strong>risks</strong> are identified, the SCENIHR is asked:a. <strong>to</strong> identify the level <strong>of</strong> <strong>noise</strong> emission safeguarding the <strong>health</strong> <strong>of</strong> citizens,taking in<strong>to</strong> account the intensity, length and number <strong>of</strong> <strong>exposure</strong>s <strong>to</strong> users <strong>of</strong><strong>personal</strong> <strong>music</strong> players and mobile phones with the same function andb. <strong>to</strong> identify priority issues for further research.12
Health <strong>risks</strong> <strong>from</strong> <strong>exposure</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>noise</strong> <strong>from</strong> <strong>personal</strong> <strong>music</strong> players3. SCIENTIFIC RATIONALE3.1. IntroductionIn a recent report WHO states (WHO 2002, Nelson 2005) “Worldwide, 16% <strong>of</strong> thedisabling hearing loss in adults is attributed <strong>to</strong> occupational <strong>noise</strong>, ranging <strong>from</strong> 7% <strong>to</strong>21% in the various subregions”. For almost two decades, the level <strong>of</strong> 85 dB(A) wasregarded as the critical intensity for the workplace; at <strong>exposure</strong>s below 85 dB(A) theprobability <strong>of</strong> hearing losses occurring with long-term <strong>exposure</strong> was then consideredsufficiently limited (Welleschik 1979). Therefore, international standards recommendedthe equivalent sound pressure level (L equ, 8h ) <strong>of</strong> 85 dB(A) (A filter-weighted, 8-hourworking day-weighted average) as the <strong>exposure</strong> limit for occupational <strong>noise</strong> (ISO1999:1990; NIOSH revised criteria 1974). However, more recent studies showed thatthis standard did not guarantee the safety for the human audi<strong>to</strong>ry system. Therefore, thenew EC Directive Noise at Work Regulations on the minimum <strong>health</strong> and safetyrequirements regarding <strong>exposure</strong> <strong>of</strong> workers <strong>to</strong> the <strong>risks</strong> arising <strong>from</strong> physical agents(<strong>noise</strong>) introduces lower <strong>exposure</strong> action value at L equ, 8h = 80 dB(A) (Directive2003/10/EC).Although early reviews (eg MRC 1986) concluded that leisure <strong>noise</strong> was unlikely <strong>to</strong> be asignificant threat <strong>to</strong> hearing compared <strong>to</strong> occupational <strong>noise</strong>, they noted a need for moregood data and research. Since then there have been huge changes in patterns <strong>of</strong> <strong>noise</strong><strong>exposure</strong>. Smith et al. (2000) found that the numbers <strong>of</strong> young people with social <strong>noise</strong><strong>exposure</strong> had tripled (<strong>to</strong> around 19%) since the early 1980s, whilst occupational <strong>noise</strong>had decreased.There is a number <strong>of</strong> studies which documented that <strong>noise</strong> <strong>from</strong> environmental sourceslike traffic, aircraft, construction or neighbourhood, although sometimes very annoying,do not reach the equivalent levels that can be harmful <strong>to</strong> hearing. On the other hand,they can cause non-audi<strong>to</strong>ry effects. In the last years a pattern <strong>of</strong> environmental <strong>noise</strong><strong>exposure</strong>s has changed substantially; the leisure <strong>noise</strong> sources became <strong>of</strong> a main publicconcern as it was found that they can generate sounds across a broad frequency rangeand <strong>from</strong> high <strong>to</strong> low sound pressure levels. The equivalent sound levels in discos mayrange between 104.3 and 112.4 dB(A), and between 75 and 105 dB(A) <strong>from</strong> <strong>personal</strong><strong>music</strong> players (Serra et al. 2005). The <strong>noise</strong> dose measures over 4 hours showed an L aeq<strong>of</strong> 104.3 dB. The nightclubs' average sound level ranged between 93.2 <strong>to</strong> 109.7 dB(A).Therefore it may be concluded that sounds such as <strong>music</strong> can, at high acoustic levels, beas dangerous for hearing as industrial <strong>noise</strong>.In the last decade, PMPs with improved qualities and suitable for playback at high soundlevels became available and have been used by an increasing proportion <strong>of</strong> thepopulation. Data shows that for the MP3 players and equivalent devices the unit sales inEurope, between 2004–2007, were estimated as about 124 million but could be as largeas 165 million and for all portable audio could be in the range 184–246 million. On <strong>to</strong>p <strong>of</strong>this there were about 161 million handset mobile phones sold in EU countries in 2007only. It is estimated that <strong>to</strong>day about 10-20% <strong>of</strong> these phones include a MP3 playbackfunction. This results in an estimated additional number <strong>of</strong> 16 <strong>to</strong> 32 million PMP devices.It is expected that the fraction <strong>of</strong> mobile phones containing the PMP function will rapidlyincrease such that up <strong>to</strong> 75% <strong>of</strong> all phones sold by 2011 may provide this function.Notably, data are not very precise at present and it is not clear whether people who haveaccess <strong>to</strong> PMP function actually use them on a regular basis.The <strong>personal</strong> <strong>music</strong> players (PMPs) which now play not only <strong>music</strong>, but provide podcasts<strong>of</strong> various broadcasts or lecture material, which is delivered largely through ear-bud typeinsert ear phones producing a range <strong>of</strong> maximum levels around 88-113 dB(A) acrossdifferent devices. In the worst case scenario, it is possible <strong>to</strong> obtain level <strong>of</strong> about 120dB(A).13
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