Regulation for control of sound exposure in Make Listening Safe entertainment venues Case studies from Belgium, WHO France and Switzerland This document summarizes the Belgian, French and Swiss regulations for control of sound exposure in entertainment venues. December The case studies will be used for the development of a WHO 2019 regulatory framework for control of sound exposure in entertainment venues. The document has been prepared by WHO with the help of Mr Mark Laureyns, President of the European Association of Hearing Aid Professionals; Mr Didier Ollandini and Ms. Marie Fiori, Ministry of Solidarity and Health, France; Mr. Jean- Louis Horvilleur, President of the Scientific Council Bruitparif; and Mr Raphael Elmiger, Federal Office of Public Health, Switzerland. Regulation for control of sounds exposure in entertainment venues Case studies from Belgium, France and Switzerland Authors Shelly Chadha Kaloyan Kamenov Reviewed by Mark Laureyns Didier Ollandini Marie Fiori Jean-Louis Horvilleur Raphael Elmiger 2 Contents Background ............................................................................................................................... 5 Belgium ............................................................................................................................. 6 History ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 Flanders ............................................................................................................................................................. 6 Brussels .............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Summary of regulations ................................................................................................................................. 7 Flanders .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Sound levels .................................................................................................................................................. 8 dB(A) versus dB(C) ......................................................................................................................................... 8 Sound measurement ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Noise plan ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 Information to participants ........................................................................................................................... 9 Hearing protection ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Rest areas .................................................................................................................................................... 10 Brussels ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Sound levels ................................................................................................................................................ 11 dB(A) versus dB(C) ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Sound measurement ................................................................................................................................... 11 Announcements and Information to participants ....................................................................................... 12 Hearing protection ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Rest areas .................................................................................................................................................... 13 Implementation and control ........................................................................................................................ 13 Impact .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 Strengths ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 Weaknesses ................................................................................................................................................. 16 France ............................................................................................................................. 17 History .......................................................................................................................................................... 17 Current situation .......................................................................................................................................... 18 Summary of regulations ............................................................................................................................... 18 Sound limits ..................................................................................................................................................... 19 Sound measurement ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Notifications ..................................................................................................................................................... 19 Hearing protection ........................................................................................................................................... 19 Quiet zones ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 Implementation and control ........................................................................................................................ 20 Impact .......................................................................................................................................................... 21 Strengths ...................................................................................................................................................... 21 Weaknesses ................................................................................................................................................. 21 Future directions .......................................................................................................................................... 21 Switzerland ..................................................................................................................... 22 History .......................................................................................................................................................... 22 Summary of regulations ............................................................................................................................... 23 Sound limits ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 Sound measurement ........................................................................................................................................ 24 Notifications ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 Hearing protection ........................................................................................................................................... 25 Quiet zones / respite areas .............................................................................................................................. 25 Implementation and control ........................................................................................................................ 25 Impact .......................................................................................................................................................... 26 Strengths ...................................................................................................................................................... 27 Weaknesses ................................................................................................................................................. 27 Future directions .......................................................................................................................................... 28 3 4 Background Hearing loss affects millions of people around the world. One of the key contributors to hearing loss is recreational loud sounds. More and more young people are at high risk of hearing loss due to exposure to loud sounds in recreational settings, such as bars, discotheques, clubs or sports events. Such hearing loss is