April 13, 2013 • By Dennis Beaver

“Mr. Beaver, I recall an article you wrote some years ago about the popular active noise-cancelling headphones sold by Bose, Sony and others. You were critical, and it seemed of the opinion that many of their ads were close to being false advertising. In researching this topic online, I’ve found a number of stories which also cast doubt about the wisdom of spending hundreds of dollars for these headphones.

“But today, are there any noise-reducing headphones which you can recommend? Six members of our family are planning a really big trip overseas to several European cities. If we can get something that you feel works, and is good value, that’s just fine by us! Thanks. Bertie, Hanford, California.”

We’ve all seen ads which picture a smiling airline passenger, wearing brand X active noise-cancelling headphones. Just put them on, and you are led to believe that silence will result, allowing you to listen to music, undisturbed by the roar of a jet engine, train, subway, passengers talking and children crying.

But there is just one teensy, weensy problem with that picture. It isn’t true, no way near with any consumer active noise-cancelling headset available on the market which we have been able to find.

If you want real quiet, industrial earmuff or earplug-type hearing protection does exist which takes that airplane environment — engines, people, kids and all — and the wearer will hear what would amount to little more than a whisper and does it without batteries.

Now, before we give you brand information, a little theory is important to understand, and Dr. Theresa Y. Schulz, Ph.D., Lt. Col. USAF (retired), hearing conservation manager for Honeywell Safety Products/Howard Leight Hearing Protection, gave us this brief explanation:

Active versus passive noise reduction

“There are two ways to reduce sound in general and protect your hearing:

• We can muffle or block it out with high-quality earplugs or specially designed earmuffs which are effective across most of the frequencies of sounds that we hear, from low to high. The figures we use to describe such noise reduction would have a noise reduction rating (NRR) of 25-30 decibels, lowering the din of an aircraft cabin to that of a quiet conversation. That is called passive noise reduction.

• Active noise cancellation refers to headphones which “listen” to undesirable low frequency sound — such as the growling of a jet engine, road noise or HVAC system — and electronically creates an opposite sound wave, cancelling the offending noise.

“Active noise cancellation is only effective for steady, continuous, low frequencies and was first developed for use by the military, in aviation, and especially in cargo aircraft. By itself, it does nothing to reduce higher frequency noise, such as people talking, children crying, much of the noise that you want to avoid, especially when in an airplane and just want to listen to music.

“Also, the electronics tend to introduce a peculiar hissing — and sound pressure — which can be highly irritating. Finally, when the batteries die, many of these headphones don’t work at all — so you hear as if you were using nothing.

“And that of course explains why many people are disappointed after they have purchased expensive headphones and still hear much of what they wanted to avoid,” she notes.

There is a solution

So, the ideal, affordable noise-reducing headphones would work on both the low frequencies, as well as all the other noises we don’t want to hear, would not need batteries and would just let you plug them into a music source, without cranking the volume up to eardrum-shattering levels. Technically, for that you need something with an NRR number above 25 decibels to block unwanted noises across many frequencies.

When something comes on the market which addresses a real consumer need, we think it’s important to bring it to your attention. Such headphones do exist and are called Sync Stereo Earmuff by Howard Leight, available on Amazon for $22. (You read correctly.)

The sound is excellent — not audiophile quality, but awfully good — plus they are comfortable, and at their 25 decibels of across-the-board noise reduction, when price and performance is considered, you would be hard pressed to find anything better for use in noisy environments, from mowing the lawn, vacuuming the house or travel.

We can also highly recommend extreme isolation headphones manufactured by Direct Sound Headphones of St. Louis. With NRR numbers of 25 and 29, they are very quiet. These are true audiophile products, intended for use by musicians and the recording industry where accuracy of sound is critical. They still cost far less than many of the highly advertised “active” types and just sound better than any of them to our testers.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

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April 6, 2013 • By Dennis Beaver

While there are hundreds of thousands of cellphone applications — commonly referred to as apps — which claim an ability of doing almost anything, some are downright dangerous to your wallet if believed.

Sergio discovered just how costly certain apps can be when insurance for his restaurant was up for renewal and “a risk assessment evaluator came here, and using cellphone apps, measured noise and light levels, then issued expensive building modifications orders if we wanted our insurance to remain in force,” he told You and the Law.

“He did not have any professional instruments, only his cellphone, and claimed that noise and lighting levels in kitchen and customer areas were so bad that I was in violation of OSHA requirements. I objected, but he stated that what he was using was just as accurate as anything available and his company stands by them.

“This makes no sense at all. I have never had a problem in the past, do not believe their numbers can be trusted and don’t want to lose my insurance or spend a small fortune based on cellphone apps. I have two questions:

• What is the procedure for challenging this inspection?

• As opposed to hiring a private safety evaluation company — which I know could cost a great deal of money — are you aware of reasonably priced instruments on the market I can buy which would give accurate information to show the insurance company?

Get your agent involved

We ran our reader’s question by Don Charpentier, who has been a general lines insurance broker in Bakersfield for more than 35 years. “Sergio needs to involve his insurance agent immediately,” was his advice, adding, “Common sense dictates that you cannot rely on a cellphone app and then tell your insured to go out and spend thousands of dollars on building modifications.

“A competent agent should arrange for a reinspection and verify that properly calibrated equipment will be used. But if his agent will not help him, please tell Sergio that he must find a different agent and new insurance carrier. Rates based on incorrect findings have a way of sticking around for a long time, even when proven wrong, Sergio must not delay,” Charpentier stressed.

App numbers would have put Sergio in violation

Sergio was extremely observant, jotting down the names of these noise and light apps and noting that the evaluator used a Samsung Galaxy S3 cellphone. Using the same type of cellphone, we downloaded the apps, comparing the numbers to professional sound and light meters sent to us by Extech, a leading manufacturer of test and measurement equipment.

They were so far off as to be a joke, only no one was laughing. If believed, those numbers would have put Sergio in violation of OSHA regulations.

Sam Ruback, an Extech product specialist, told us this situation isn’t that rare.

“It is important to understand the limitations of cellphones versus professional sound and light meters. With an increase in noise pollution-related issues, it is a challenge to educate the public that integrated cellphone sensors and apps cannot be relied on. Here’s why:

• Cellphone electronics are designed for conversation and photography. They are not intended to provide accurate measurements required in industry or law enforcement.

• Professional meters are calibrated to validate accuracies against traceable National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. This is not possible with cellphones.

“These factors often lead cellphones to show extremely significant errors of 30 to 40 decibels or 100s of lux (light measurement) errors,” Ruback warned.

To buy or hire a safety evaluation consultant

We spoke with a number of firms which conduct OSHA-type safety evaluations and learned that an average cost, including a report, would be around $2,500.

“But that’s not the best use of your reader’s money,” Charpentier firmly believes, “because these issues will come up again. It could be an employee who claims a hearing loss or customer who argues that the restaurant was too dark, which led to a fall. So it is in his best interest to have his own, accurate noise and light measuring devices, assuming the cost are reasonable.”

When we researched prices for these devices — manufactured by a number of companies — our recommendation for Sergio was easy. For well under $500, accurate, fully professional meters are on the market. Their numbers would stand up, not only to his own insurance company, but for someone making a claim against the restaurant.

And while we are on the subject of noise, before spending hundreds of dollars on “noise cancelling headphones,” don’t miss next week’s article, because we’re going to save you some real money.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

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Last week, we told you about the disappointing experience readers had with active noise cancellation headphones – similar to widely advertised Bose products – purchased a day prior to their three-month trip to many of the places they had been in the Pacific during their naval careers.

The headphones were described by a salesperson as “taking you from a noisy airplane into a quiet living room” and cost around $300 a pair.

While some airplane noise was reduced, their performance was far from what the couple had been led to believe. Returning home and paying a visit to the electronics store, they were refused a refund due to a 30-day policy.

You and the Law was asked if we could help get them a refund and to look into the world of noise cancelling headphones. “Do they really work, or is it just hype?”

Noise cancellation or isolation?

Active noise cancellation was a term made popular in the consumer market by Bose Corporation with its range of Quiet Comfort headphones launched more than 10 years ago. Since then, a number of other manufacturers have released their own versions of this technology at prices which range from less than $30 to well over $500.

Originally developed for the military, active noise cancellation employs electronic circuitry which creates an opposite sound wave to low-frequency noise, such as the roar of jet engines, helicopters, general aviation, jack hammers, subways, busses, lawnmowers, leaf blowers and other steady, low-pitched, machinery sounds.

Buying recommendations

Dr. Brian Fligor is director of diagnostic audiology at Children’s Hospital in Boston and describes active noise cancellation “as bringing airplane noise down to the level of noise in a coffee shop, which is still noisy. But there are other, effective ways of acquiring significant isolation from all kinds of noise, using passive, nonelectronic earmuffs, isolation headphones and well-designed, in-the-canal earphones,” he points out.

You and the Law has recently tested a number of both active and passive (not electronic) noise-reducing headphones and earmuffs.

While you can spend close to $300 for a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 3 headphones, Kensington Noise Cancelling Headphones (sold by B & H Photo) go for $29, and many active headphones, from other manufacturers, can be found at prices in between. The real question boils down to: Are they best for your needs?

“For music, active technology distorts the music you are listening to,” maintains John Gresko of Direct Sound Headphones. His company sells the Extreme Isolation brand of passive headphones “used by musicians and the public who want flat-response, non-hyped fidelity and which are close to industrial noise reduction standards, entirely without using electronics.”

We have tested them, and are impressed with their clean sound and soothing quiet. Their website is www.extremehead phones.com.

When you move into industrial hearing protection – the headsets we see worn by airport tarmac personnel – these earmuffs aren’t pretty, but are unbelievably effective in shutting out the world, protecting your hearing.

We recently tried the Noise Buster Model PA 4000, combining active and passive protection in an earmuff. We turned them on, stepped outside next to our noisy street and heard nothing as traffic zoomed by. Standing inches from a loud vacuum cleaner and then a leaf blower, all I could hear was a slight hum. Their website is www.noisebuster.net.

Two incredible bargains in passive hearing protection are the Peltor H10A or the Howard Leight Thunder T3 earmuffs. From Amazon, they sell for around $20. On an airplane, it’s “Bye, bye, world,” with 30dB of quieting, which is enormous.

Benefits for autistic children

“If the child with autism can tolerate wearing noise cancelling or isolating headphones, there can be significant benefit,” Dr. Fligor told us, “because their brains have difficulty in putting background noise in the background, and in knowing what to turn their attention to.

When that noise is reduced to a level where they can still hear normal speech and interact, the results can be absolutely touching,” he added. A logical choice would be the Extreme Isolation HP-25 Headphone – no speakers, just noise reduction – for $39.95 from Amazon. They are lightweight, reduce noise, and we have confirmed with special education teachers just how well they work with autistic kids.

And that refund?

The salesperson and store manager admitted to us that they had never tried the headphones and had no idea how they would perform on a plane, or anywhere for that matter. “A refund is in your interest,” we suggested, “or the couple will use their American Express Buyer Protection Plan, be credited and then Amex could sue your employer.”

“Have the nice couple drop by later today and we’ll have a cash refund for them,” came the response in less than five seconds.

And who said that being a lawyer isn’t fun?

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

The post Don’t overspend on noise cancellation headphones appeared first on Dennis Beaver.

“I am writing behalf of myself and co-workers at a restaurant and night-club in a California Central Valley town where your column is widely read.

“We are constantly exposed to insanely loud music, the idea of our new manager, wanting ‘to have a livelier atmosphere.’ It is so ‘lively’ that several of us are experiencing ringing in our ears, sometimes after just an hour or two on the job.

“Because there is no carpeting or other acoustic treatment, often it is so noisy that employees have to shout at each other in order to be heard. It feels like your head is in a metal trash can and someone is banging on it!

“We have all embarrassingly messed up beverage and food orders because it was not possible to understand the customer.

“Our requests to lower the volume and have sound-dampening material installed were refused, the manager curtly telling us: “Bars are noisy and customers want a loud environment. If you don’t like it, then find a job elsewhere. But don’t worry, it isn’t so loud as to harm your hearing. You’ll get used to it.”

“Is he right? We would all appreciate your comments and some direction. Thanks, Kim.”

Need to shout? Your hearing is at risk

Does Kim and her co-workers have anything to worry about, or if unhappy, should they just find a job elsewhere? What are the indications that occupational noise is loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage? Are there legal protections for workers in noisy environments?

For answers, You and the Law spoke with one of the nation’s foremost experts on hearing conservation, Indianapolis-based Elliott Berger, division scientist for the 3M Personal Safety Division. For over 35 years, Berger has studied hearing protection and authored numerous articles and textbook chapters.

“An employee in this situation is describing occupational exposure to what we refer to as potentially hazardous levels of noise which can cause permanent hearing loss,” Berger stated, adding, “and your reader’s comments highlight two often found consequences of exposure to dangerous levels of noise which over-stress nerve cells in the inner ear.

• Shouting in order to be heard at arm’s length, and;
• Ringing in the ears after you leave the noise and are in quiet surroundings.

“Potentially hazardous noise means that you have been exposed to a sound level of 85 decibels or more for at least 8 hours on a consistent basis. When this occurs, it may result in permanent hearing loss for a portion of the population unless hearing protection devices are worn,” he stressed.

“Examples of 85 decibels would include a gas lawn mower, a noisy vacuum cleaner and many hair dryers.”

Risks not well known but Disney protects its employees

“The sad occupational reality is a failure to understand the risks or know what is needed to safeguard hearing. One admirable employer is the Disney Corporation, as its theme parks provide hearing protection to employees in bar and music entertainment areas,” Berger points out.

Even the CDC–Centers for Disease Control–are paying attention to what they call Music Induced Hearing Loss, and have stated that everyone who works at a night club is at risk–bartenders, security, wait staff–not just the DJ. In a 2013 study, they found noise levels to exceed 95 decibels, sometimes reaching 108 decibels, and at these levels, hearing protection is mandatory under federal law.

When government agencies charged with enforcing the law sit on their hands, hearing-aid companies are thrilled. In our opinion, the California Department of Industrial Relations (CalOsha) is completely deaf when it comes to noise issues concerning bars and nightclubs.

Information they provided You and the Law revealed no reported action taken against a single bar or nightclub for excessive noise in the past several years.

Dangerous levels of noise exposure more common today

“The opportunity for not just employees–but members of the general public–to be exposed to potentially dangerous high sound levels is far more common now than ever before,” Berger points out, citing the “readily available powerful amplification equipment used today at rock concerts, recreational activities — even weddings — creates loud sounds with a greater potential to damage hearing,” he stated, and then asked what these four things have in common:

• A monster truck rally;
• A basketball game in an arena with 18,000 screaming fans;
• Using a chainsaw;
• A rock concert.

“They all generate sound levels above 95, a chainsaw and rock concert coming in at 105 decibels, and some basketball game in enclosed arenas have been measured at well over 115 decibels.”

Protect yourself before trouble starts

For anyone about to begin a job in a noisy environment, or who has ever worked in one, then next week’s story will be of special interest as we look at noise-related workers compensation claims and hearing loss prevention.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

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Have you ever thought, “Is it my imagination, or have restaurants and bars become noisier? Why should I be paying for dinner which includes a side order of headache and screaming yourself hoarse in order to be heard?” If so, you’ll find our story relevant and may very well even save you a great deal of money.

Part two – next week – will be of special interest for anyone who works in one of these insanely loud restaurants or bars. Additionally, we’ll take a look at a device which far too few restaurant and bar owners own but which they desperately need – and which might just help keep them in business.

Today’s story began with an e-mail from Paul, who “made reservations for our party of six, guaranteed by credit card, at a “fine dining” restaurant with a $75 per person charge for no-shows. It is located off of the lobby in a recently refurnished hotel.”

He works in the occupational and safety section at the health department of a Northern California county. “The last thing I expected was to suddenly be on the job, but that was exactly what happened when we walked into the hotel lobby. Bombarded with incredibly high levels of noise, echo, and reverberation, it was impossible to carry on a normal conversation without raising our voices considerably.

“It was like a bad amusement park ride, exposed to harsh, shrieking sounds and so much echo.

“The restaurant is completely open to the lobby, so all this, piercing noise from the lobby and bar flows directly in. The busy street outside seemed positively quiet by comparison.

“I immediately went to my car and retrieved the sound level meter which I use in my job. The measurements in the lobby and bar area were close to 90 decibels, and in the restaurant, over 80 db. This is like standing next to a lawn mower, loud vacuum cleaner or gasoline powered leaf blower and trying to have a conversation. You can’t without yelling. It hurts your ears.

“There was absolutely no sound reducing materials anywhere – just hard, reflective surfaces. We advised the manager that this was completely unacceptable for a restaurant which claims to be fine dining, and we were leaving. He said that my credit card would be charged as a no-show.

“I just got the bill, $450. This is really unfair. Do you have any recommendations? Do I have to pay this?”

We are ruining our hearing

Before he became an attorney and law professor at the Conrad Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston, Stephen Barth was in the bar and restaurant business. He has strong feelings about noise and charging a guest under these circumstances.

“We are ruining our hearing. Restaurants and bars do not need to be as loud as they are today to be successful. There is no reason to create distraction from the food and beverage and that is what noise does.

“I can’t imagine a real chef allowing someone to smoke around great food. Noise is the same thing. The ultimate goal is for the guest to enjoy the dining experience, not to distract from it,” Professor Barth maintains.

Lee Johnson, an environmental health officer with the Kings County Health Department in Hanford, points out that the effects of exposure to the levels of noise reported by my reader, can, “easily lead to psychological and physiological effects, such as anxiety. When you have to shout to be heard in a so-called fine-dining restaurant, you are in an environment which isn’t healthy.

“Noise in bars and restaurants is often seen by management as part of the sizzle, but impacts workers and guests. People vote with dollars. In fact, my wife and I quit going to a certain restaurant in Visalia, for that very reason; the owners obviously did not care to address the severe noise problems, despite complaints.”

“Fine-dining restaurants should deliver a meal and pleasant experience for the customer. As they are selling a perishable item – that table, tonight – they can charge a no-show fee. But here, when the customer arrived to fulfill his part of the agreement and discovered they were in a situation which could be considered as dangerous, it’s the restaurant who is in breach of contract,” Professor Barth reasons.

“Most likely there was no written agreement, which should be helpful to Paul. Typically, credit card companies will side with the customer in these cases, and he needs to contest the charge immediately,” he advises.

So, why don’t restaurant owners do more for guests and their employees? We’ll answer those questions next time.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

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Last week we began our look into something that is upsetting to people who both dine in and work at restaurants, bars and clubs: Ear-piercing levels of noise, so loud as to be classified as a health risk with prolonged exposure.

Today, we’ll explain why restaurants are noisier than in the past, what steps can be taken to lower the levels and what hospitality industry workers need to know. But first, a brief explanation of decibels – how sound is measured.

Every 10-decibel increase doubles the sound

Dr. Tom Thunder heads Chicago-based Acoustic Associates, and is both an audiologist and acoustic engineer. He testifies frequently as an expert in the area of environmental and occupational noise. I asked him to explain what the numbers mean when we talk about decibels:

“Sound is measured in decibels, (db) with 60 db being normal conversation. For every 10 db increase, the loudness is doubled. In a restaurant, from 60 to 65 is good, and above that, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand normal speech. For restaurant or bar workers – especially with loud DJ music or live – above 85 decibels, over time, this impacts hearing and health. If co-workers need to shout at each other in order to be heard, they are at risk of permanent hearing loss.”

“There are more complaints about noise in general, and restaurants specifically, because the baby boom generation is experiencing hearing loss. A restaurant should address noise during the design stages, and if correctly done, customers will have no idea that an acoustic treatment was designed in. When owners wait until customers stop coming, it becomes much more expensive and difficult to remedy,” he points out.

Restaurant noise 911 emergency

Even then, a restaurant or bar owner who cares about customers and staff can do a great deal to reduce the noise. Just ask Minneapolis-based Mark Rustad.

As president of Net Well Noise Control Services, he often receives “911 emergency” calls from management who suddenly realize their customers are walking out because of the noise. “We teach them how to greatly lower the noise, for example, with ceiling clouds, which capture echo and bring a 70- to 80-decibel room down to 60,” he explained.

He agrees with Thunder, that design is key. “Anytime you have marble, glass, wood or tile-leaving surfaces which are reflective – they do not absorb a thing. A room which is not conditioned for acoustics creates echo. From the neighborhood sandwich shop to elegant, high end, fine dining restaurants, today everything is designed for appearance and cost cutting. Sadly, designers rarely take into account the consequences of these decisions which make it look pretty, but which often discourages repeat business when the customer is turned off.”

Recommendations for restaurant and bar workers

For anyone who owns or works in a noisy restaurant, bar, or club-and is often exposed to levels over 85db-hearing can eventually be affected. The louder the noise-more decibels-the shorter is a “safe” exposure. Responsible employers need to determine what sound levels employees are being exposed to.

As what’s loud to one person may be acceptable to someone else, the only way to establish a useful, explicit data point is by using an accurate sound level meter-something ideally which meets Type 2, industrial standards.

Historically these devices cost hundreds of dollars, but You and the Law found one manufacturer that has recently come out with two meters, one with a price tag of $169 which is Type 2 approved, and the other for only $89. That company is Extech Instruments of Waltham, Mass. (www.extech.com)

We had a chance to test the $169 meter and compared it with those costing many times as much. It was just as accurate. Extech’s Global P.R. Manager, André Rebelo explained that having an accurate way to establish decibel levels can be important for other reasons:

“Over the last several years, noise laws have been upgraded around the country to have specific thresholds above which noise levels are illegal. Law enforcement is out measuring – so to be a good citizen, as well as a way of defending yourself if cited for a violation of a noise ordinance – it only makes sense to know in advance just how loud your business really is.”

Reports to Cal/OSHA by employees are confidential

The law requires employers to offer hearing protection or to take other measures when employees are subject to dangerous sound levels. Complaints to Cal/OSHA from employees are confidential if the employee desires, and will be investigated, normally, in a matter of days.

In a future report, we will look into the types of hearing protection on the market, from passive earmuffs, to highly advanced electronic devices.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

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Looking for a new hair blower? Any Target, RiteAid, Walmart or beauty supply store will have dozens, promising to make the user look like a Vogue or GQ model. The boxes state wattage, describe ceramic or ionic heating elements, and indicate if it contains Tourmaline to reduce the frizzies.

Something you will probably never find listed is far more important: How loud is it – how much noise – expressed in decibels – does it generate? We can credit what happened during the Reagan presidency as to why this important information is not listed. More on this in a moment.

No requirement to state noise level

“Manufacturers aren’t legally required to reveal how much noise they expose consumers to,” said Chicago audiologist and acoustic engineer Dr. Tom Thunder. “If they had to reveal these figures in an understandable manner, we could choose safer products in general, and not just hair blowers. Many of the items we use at home and on the job could and should be made much quieter, such as lawnmowers, leaf blowers, vacuum cleaners and kitchen blenders. The list of noisy products is enormous.

“As a nation, we aren’t getting the information we need to preserve our hearing, both in terms of public education and requiring quieter products in general.”

A noisier nation after Reagan

“While Reaganomics created tremendous economic prosperity, something else occurred during years which many audiologists point to as a cause of avoidable, serious hearing loss due to noise pollution, in the environment and workplace,” Thunder believes.

“Prior to Reagan, the federal government created the Office of Noise Abatement and Control. It was actively working to protect our hearing – as do similar agencies in many other countries – but then the funding was pulled.

“Europe, much of Asia and Japan is much more advanced than we are in labeling a product’s noise emissions and educating the public as to the need for quieter products. If that agency were still around today, it is safe to say that many of our nosiest places of employment would be a lot quieter, and the people who work there would not have lost nearly the degree of hearing which they have.”

Quiet hair blowers do exist

Using a professional grade sound meter, we tested a number of hair dryers. Even though some of the boxes described “quiet” motors, they measured well over 85 decibels, the same loudness as a vacuum cleaner. “That is a dangerously high figure,” Thunder commented.

But quiet hair blowers do exist. The problem is that most of them are only available in Asia and run on 220 instead of 110 volts. Panasonic produces “quiet mode hair dryers” and their Hong Kong website gives actual decibel figures. One comes in at 50 and the other at 52 decibels, and each are incredibly quiet from our own experience while in Hong Kong recently.

So, is there anything at all available in the U.S. which really is quiet?

Yes. It’s the Centrix Q-Zone Dryer, and it is manufactured by The Cricket Company of Novato, Calif. You and the Law was loaned one of these dryers and we validated its claimed 70 decibels. That is just slightly louder than normal speech. It is as powerful as anything we tested and a delight to use, well balanced and so quiet, without that hi-pitched shrieking sound so many hair dryers produce.

Sold online or through beauty supply stores, this is really quite a product for anyone who simply hates the noise of hair dryers in general. As the company’s VP of sales, Jeff Schwartz told me, “You can have a conversation with the dryer on high, with no problem at all. More importantly, this blower is far safer for hair care professionals and their customers,” he stated.

Odd reaction from other manufacturers

When readers ask us to look into a class of products, we always try to find more than one manufacturer, and we tried to this time as well. We contacted Conair and Andis, two of the largest sellers of hair care appliances, and asked for their help.

Their websites describe “quiet” hair dryers, but neither company would put us in contact with an engineer or other spokesperson, nor send us a unit to test, stating that they do not reveal specifications on noise levels produced. Of course, they don’t legally have to.

But the folks at Centrix have done so, so they get my vote.

Interestingly, the media contact for Conair did tell me, “We do have a very quiet hair dryer, but it’s for dogs.”

“Dogs?” I replied. “Don’t tell me you mean ugly women?”

“No, dogs, you know, bow-wow, doggies. We sell that in our canine line of products.”

Glad I asked.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

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“Our wives work as hair stylists in a relatively small town in California’s Central Valley. We are all very close, went to the same high school, got married right after graduation, the girls attended beauty college together and have worked for more than 15 years in the cosmetology field,” a very touching e-mail from Chris and Daniel began.

“We are very much afraid that these two wonderful ladies are losing their hearing because of occupational noise. If you’ve spent any amount of time in a beauty salon, then you know these are extremely noisy places. Now when we all get together, especially at a restaurant or some place where there is a lot of conversation, it seems that we have to speak extra clearly and at a much higher volume level in order for them to understand us. Even at home, they want the TV volume higher than normal, and we often need to repeat ourselves.

“We love our wives, and when we discuss this with them, they just say that it is ‘selective’ hearing loss. ‘We are just not paying attention, and you two guys are overreacting,’ they say. But we aren’t and are really worried. Is hearing loss a common problem for people who work in hair salons? Can anything be done to lower the noise level? No one wants to file a workers’ compensation case, but could we, if necessary? Or are we two overly-concerned husbands?” they asked.

Working in a beauty salon is a known risk to hearing

When we ran our readers’ situation by one of the nation’s leading experts in the area of occupational noise, Dr. Tom Thunder, the Chicago-based audiologist/acoustic engineer did not hesitate to “clear” my readers.

“Your readers are not overreacting. As a general statement, where someone who has been working in the cosmetology field seems to be having difficulty understanding normal speech, keeps asking you to repeat yourself, or at times seem unaware of certain sounds or things around them, this is often a sign of noise-based hearing loss, very common in the hair-care field and can be traceable, primarily, to one source.

“And scary part is that millions of Americans, for years, have unknowingly placed their hearing at risk every day, and yet might never have even gone into a hair salon. So, what’s to blame? It’s the majority of consumer and professional hair blowers sold in North America which typically generate noise levels from 85 to 95 decibels.”

Why these numbers matter

“That’s the noise level of a vacuum cleaner, standing on a busy subway station, using a gasoline powered lawnmower, a loud leaf blower, weed whacker or being within a few inches of a food blender.

“When we are repeatedly in an environment where the noise level is over 85 decibels, there is a significant risk of serious damage to your hearing. If you work, let’s say in a noisy bar or restaurant, and must shout to your co-workers in order to be heard, you’re looking at around 85 decibels, and this is dangerous.

“To help understand these numbers, a quiet room is 40 decibels. Normal speech is around 65. Every 10-decibel increase doubles the noise. If you are a hairdresser working with the typically loud hair dryer, in the generally noisy environment of a salon, one of life’s greatest gifts – the wonderful ability to hear – is being ever so slowly taken away.

“The people who work in these salons need acoustically safer equipment. A hair blower in the 70-decibel or lower level would have a real impact on preservation of hearing,” he maintains.

How long does it take before hearing damage occurs?

“When we do an audiogram and find a high-frequency loss at around 4,000 hertz – roughly a birdcall frequency – this shows up as a ‘notch’ in our results and is consistent with damage caused by noise exposure,” Thunder explains.

“We know that hair dryers over 85 decibels present a significant risk of hearing impairment and that the hair dryer in a beauty salon is the major source of noise exposure. It takes 5 to 10 years before one would start to see a permanent notch effect occur in that person’s audiogram. That’s all it takes – just 5 to 10 years working as a hair stylist, in the typically noisy beauty salon, to cause significant and permanent hearing loss.

“Interestingly, dentists are also at risk of hearing loss, yet no one would consider a dental office as a noisy place to work. But they also suffer noise-induced hearing loss at the frequency of speech, caused by being around high-frequency drills,” he points out.

Recommendations

“Your readers need to get their wives to meet with an licensed audiologist – not a hearing aid dealer – and establish their current hearing levels. In fact, anyone considering a career in cosmetology or another high-noise environment occupation should have this test performed. Costs range from $70 to $120 and are generally covered by health insurance. This establishes a baseline and would be extremely helpful in workers’ compensation or personal injury cases,” Thunder stated.

But is there anything which can be done today, right now? Is there a quiet hair blower on the market?

Yes, there is, and that’s our story for next week.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

The post Use a hair blower, go deaf appeared first on Dennis Beaver.

When reading airline magazines or while booking travel online, it has been impossible to miss ads for active noise cancelling headphones from Bose, Sony, Panasonic, Audio Technica, Sennheiser, JVC, Jabra and others.

Are they worth the money? Do these electronic headphones really shut out noise on an airplane, subway or bus? Does the average consumer understand what they can and cannot accomplish? Are there others – non-electronic – which deliver as good or even better isolation from noise?

This week and next, we are examining this technology. We’ll help in making an informed buying decision, and something else which will be of special interest to parents of autistic and certain special-needs children.

Beware of noise-cancellation claims

John Gresko, president of St. Louis-based Direct Sound Headphones, believes there is a great deal of misleading advertising associated with the sale of active noise cancelling headphones, telling You and the Law:

“There are so many exaggerated claims. Most people do not understand how these headphones work, expecting that once you put them on, all noise from the outside world will simply vanish. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

His comments were echoed by the following email from readers in the Central Valley, which was the basis of our story.

Now we’re seeing the world by air

“My wife and I retired two years ago from the Navy and decided to see the world, but this time, by air. So a few months ago, we purchased Circle Pacific airline tickets and visited many of the friends we had made while in the service,” Reed’s email began.

“Military personnel have a much higher degree of hearing loss than the general population. So when our family doctor heard of our trip – which, because of the distances involved, meant spending a great deal of time on airplanes – he recommended obtaining hearing protection, such as noise cancelling headphones, to minimize exposure to high levels of airplane noise.

“A day before departure, we went to a home electronics store, and a salesperson, Nick, sold us widely advertised active noise cancelling headphones for almost $300 each. He told us they eliminate engine noise, most conversations, crying babies and sounds coming from the galley or washroom, and wearing them would be like sitting in a quiet living room, with no need to crank up the volume to watch the movie or listen to the audio program. We paid using our American Express cards.

It was no living room

“We used them for the first time as the plane took off and during the three months of our trip, but were very disappointed with how much noise they actually reduced. Yes, low-frequency roaring engine sounds were diminished, but not nearly as much as we were told and little for most other kinds of noise, as we still had to raise the volume level louder than we wanted to. When the batteries died, the headset was useless.

“Upon returning home, we went back for a refund, but they have a 30-day policy. The manager would do nothing. Are we out of luck? Is there anything else we can do? What is the straight story on noise-cancelling headphones? Are there any which really deliver as advertised? These were just a waste of money.”

Active noise cancelling explained

“Active noise cancelling headphones were originally developed for the military. They create a sound wave which is directly opposite to the low-frequency noise of army tanks, jet engines, subways, lawn mowers, leaf-blowers and other machinery. With certain limitations and annoyances – such as batteries going dead – they are effective in reducing (cancelling out) some of that noise and provide limited hearing protection.

“But when you start going up the frequency scale- beginning at around 1,500 hertz with a baby crying and then into human speech – they are completely useless, doing nothing at all. So, in an airplane, while there is jet engine noise, there is still much more noise which is not low frequency, such as people talking, moving around, galley carts, cups, plates and very loud announcements which are more than irritating and actually raise blood pressure. With all of that, you may still have to crank up the volume to hear the film,” Gresko points out.

Simpler solutions to the noise problem exist

While active noise cancelling headsets have an extremely important role in industry and the military, it is not necessary to spend hundreds of dollars to acquire significant isolation from noise. Next week we’ll offer some suggestions.

With one, you’re going to think that the price – and how far it removes you from the world outside – is a misprint.

All of that and how we got our readers their refund, next time.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

The post What you need to know about noise-canceling headphones appeared first on Dennis Beaver.