Noise Exposure Associated with Marching and Pep Bands
Joseph Keefe - jkeefe@verizon.net
Ostergaard Acoustical Associates
200 Executive Dr.
West Orange, NJ 07052
Popular version of paper 3pNS
Presented Wednesday afternoon, October 19, 2005
ASA/NOISE-CON 2005 Meeting, Minneapolis, MN
This paper describes the potential for hearing loss for student musicians and
music educators who participate in marching band. Although some marching band
sound exposures can be safe, often they represent a risk of hearing loss. Student
musicians and music educators should be aware of this risk and should take steps
to counter it with hearing protection.
Background
During the 2003 marching band season, a sound level meter was used to record the sound pressure levels in decibels during the activities of the Duke University Marching Band (85 members, 78 instrumentalists) and the Riverside High School Marching Band (Durham, NC) (61 members, 42 instrumentalists). Using nine years of personal marching band experience, the researcher took measurements as realistically as possible.
Sound pressure levels reported in this paper will be presented in dB(A), which stands for A-weighted decibels. The A-weighting scale mimics the response of human hearing. The higher the sound pressure level, the louder a sound is perceived by a listener.
MEASUREMENTS
Sound pressure levels were measured under the following conditions:
Indoor marching band rehearsal without percussion (drumline)
Indoor marching band rehearsal with percussion
Marching percussion only rehearsal
Outdoor marching band rehearsal
Outdoor marching band performance
Indoor pep band performance
Sound pressure levels measured during rehearsals and performance were compared to the noise exposure criteria of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health). Both express exposure in terms of a dose percentage, which is a percentage of the daily maximum permissible exposure. Thus, doses less than 100% are considered to be safe, while doses greater than or equal to 100% are considered to be unsafe.
OSHA says that risk of hearing loss begins at any exposure equivalent to 90 dB(A) for 8 hours, and that this risk doubles every time the sound pressure level increases by 5 decibels. Thus, a 100% OSHA dose could be exposure to an equivalent level of 90 dB(A) for 8 hours, 95 dB(A) for 4 hours, or 100 dB(A) for 2 hours. NIOSH says that risk of hearing loss begins at any exposure equivalent to 85 dB(A) for 8 hours, and that this risk doubles every time the sound pressure level increases by 3 decibels. A 100% NIOSH dose could be exposure to an equivalent level of 85 dB(A) for 8 hours, 88 dB(A) for 4 hours, or 91 dB(A) for 2 hours.
An exposure will always dose higher using NIOSH criteria than it will using OSHA criteria, and this gap widens as the sound pressure level moves farther and farther from the baseline of 85 dB(A). The difference between the doubling rates used by OSHA and NIOSH is of some contention, and so doses for both are reported here.
In all tables below, exposures that do not exceed a 100% OSHA or NIOSH dose are colored green, exposures that exceed a 100% NIOSH dose but not a 100% OSHA dose are colored orange, and exposures that exceed both a 100% OSHA and NIOSH dose are colored red. Estimated exposure times, not measured for the full duration of the exposure due to time constraints, are listed in parentheses. Sound pressure level is abbreviated Lp. "CT" indicates the use of a click track, an amplified digital metronome played through speakers to keep tempo.
|
RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL INDOOR REHEARSAL, WITHOUT DRUMLINE |
|
Lp, dB(A) |
Location |
Principal Sources of Exposure |
Exposure |
OSHA |
NIOSH |
|
|
|
from other instruments |
Time, min. |
dose |
dose |
|
90 |
pit |
none |
60 |
12% |
35% |
|
91 |
trumpets |
low brass, CT |
60 |
14% |
49% |
|
94 |
flutes (warmups and tuning) |
entire band |
60 |
21% |
98% |
|
95 |
drum major |
entire band, CT |
60 |
25% |
123% |
|
95 |
flutes |
entire band, CT |
60 |
25% |
126% |
|
96 |
pit |
CT |
60 |
28% |
148% |
|
RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL INDOOR REHEARSAL, WITH DRUMLINE |
|
Lp, dB(A) |
Location |
Principal Sources of Exposure |
Exposure |
OSHA |
NIOSH |
|
|
|
from other instruments |
Time, min. |
dose |
dose |
|
96 |
bass drums |
marching percussion |
30 |
15% |
87% |
|
97 |
tenors |
marching percussion |
30 |
15% |
89% |
|
100 |
flugelhorn |
bass drums |
30 |
26% |
209% |
|
101 |
sousaphones |
marching percussion |
30 |
27% |
224% |
|
102 |
between snare drums and bass drums |
marching percussion |
30 |
31% |
283% |
|
DUKE UNIVERSITY INDOOR REHEARSAL, WITH DRUMLINE |
|
Lp, dB(A) |
Location |
Principal Sources of Exposure |
Exposure |
OSHA |
NIOSH |
|
|
|
from other instruments |
Time, min. |
dose |
dose |
|
98 |
drum major (warmups and tuning) |
entire band |
12 |
8% |
56% |
|
99 |
between clarinets and alto saxophones |
brass |
(75) |
53% |
379% |
|
99 |
tenor saxophones |
marching percussion |
(75) |
58% |
435% |
|
100 |
flutes |
mellophones, trumpets |
(75) |
59% |
456% |
|
100 |
drum major |
entire band |
86 |
74% |
603% |
|
104 |
alto saxophones |
trumpets |
(75) |
103% |
1149% |
|
104 |
between snare drums and bass drums |
marching percussion |
(75) |
110% |
1289% |
|
105 |
snare drums |
marching percussion |
62 |
107% |
1401% |
|
106 |
cymbals |
marching percussion |
(75) |
144% |
2000% |
|
108 |
trumpets |
marching percussion |
(75) |
184% |
3031% |
|
DUKE UNIVERSITY INDOOR REHEARSAL, DRUMLINE ONLY |
|
Lp, dB(A) |
Location |
Exposure |
OSHA |
NIOSH |
|
|
|
Time, min. |
dose |
dose |
|
100 |
observer/instructor position (center of drumline) |
30 |
24% |
188% |
|
RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL OUTDOOR REHEARSAL, DRUMLINE ONLY |
|
Lp (dBA) |
Location |
Exposure |
OSHA |
NIOSH |
|
|
|
Time, min. |
dose |
dose |
|
94 |
behind bass drums |
(35) |
12% |
53% |
|
96 |
snare drums |
(35) |
17% |
93% |
|
99 |
between snare drums and bass drums |
(35) |
25% |
181% |
|
103 |
bass drums |
(35) |
44% |
467% |
|
105 |
tenors |
(35) |
56% |
691% |
|
RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL OUTDOOR REHEARSAL, WITH DRUMLINE |
|
Lp, dB(A) |
Location |
Principal Sources of Exposure |
Exposure |
OSHA |
NIOSH |
|
|
|
from other instruments |
Time, min. |
dose |
dose |
|
85 |
clarinets (backfield) |
none |
(120) |
12% |
24% |
|
86 |
drum major (show run-through) |
entire band, CT |
(120) |
15% |
32% |
|
86 |
trumpet |
entire band, CT |
(120) |
15% |
32% |
|
87 |
pit |
trumpets, CT |
(120) |
16% |
36% |
|
87 |
trombone |
baritone, sousaphones |
(120) |
17% |
42% |
|
89 |
tenors (much discussion, less playing) |
marching percussion, CT |
(120) |
20% |
56% |
|
89 |
alto saxophone (show run-through) |
low brass, CT |
(120) |
21% |
57% |
|
89 |
clarinets / alto saxophones |
mellophones, trombones |
(120) |
21% |
60% |
|
89 |
piccolo |
marching percussion, CT |
(120) |
23% |
68% |
|
90 |
piccolo |
marching percussion, CT |
(120) |
23% |
71% |
|
92 |
baritone (show run-through) |
low brass, CT |
(120) |
34% |
135% |
|
94 |
piccolo |
marching percussion, CT |
(120) |
44% |
205% |
|
94 |
flugelhorn (show run-through) |
low brass, alto saxophones |
(120) |
46% |
219% |
|
95 |
mellophones |
low brass, CT |
(120) |
47% |
224% |
|
95 |
snare drums |
marching percussion, CT |
(120) |
48% |
235% |
|
95 |
bass drums |
marching percussion, CT |
(120) |
49% |
241% |
|
95 |
pit (percussion solo) |
marching percussion |
(120) |
52% |
270% |
|
96 |
sousaphone |
sousaphone, trombones, CT |
(120) |
57% |
310% |
|
99 |
tenors (show run-through) |
marching percussion, trumpets |
(120) |
82% |
579% |
|
100 |
pit |
brass |
(120) |
101% |
819% |
|
106 |
snare drum (show run-through) |
marching percussion, brass |
(120) |
223% |
3055% |
|
DUKE UNIVERSITY OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE (football game) |
|
Lp, dB(A) |
Location |
Principal Sources of Exposure |
Exposure |
OSHA |
NIOSH |
|
|
|
from other instruments |
Time, min. |
dose |
dose |
|
99 |
tenor saxophones |
trumpets |
(150) |
103% |
724% |
|
101 |
mellophones |
trumpets |
(150) |
148% |
1320% |
|
103 |
bass drums |
marching percussion |
(150) |
200% |
2194% |
|
104 |
drum majors |
marching percussion |
(150) |
203% |
2245% |
|
DUKE UNIVERSITY INDOOR PERFORMANCE (basketball game) |
|
Lp, dB(A) |
Location |
Principal Sources of Exposure |
Exposure |
OSHA |
NIOSH |
|
|
|
from other instruments |
Time, min. |
dose |
dose |
|
97 |
drum major (womens game) |
entire band |
(240) |
130% |
782% |
|
100 |
trombones |
clarinets, flutes |
(240) |
187% |
1425% |
|
101 |
sousaphone |
sousaphones, trumpets |
(240) |
217% |
1838% |
|
101 |
between bells and drumset |
bass drum, cymbals |
(240) |
233% |
2063% |
|
101 |
drum major |
entire band |
(240) |
236% |
2111% |
|
101 |
between flutes and clarinets |
alto sax., trumpets, mellophones |
(240) |
239% |
2161% |
|
103 |
alto saxophones |
trumpets |
(240) |
283% |
2851% |
|
103 |
drum major (vs. rival school) |
entire band |
240 |
295% |
3055% |
Below all measurements are plotted and compared to the 100% dose curves for the OSHA and NIOSH criteria. It is clear that, although some marching band exposures can be safe, often they exceed 100% dosage and represent a risk of hearing loss. Student musicians and music educators should be aware of these potentially dangerous sound pressure levels and should take steps to counter them with hearing protection.
More information on this topic can be found here.
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