Loud Music in Gymkhana Ballari

Exercise is good for overall health and to many of us the right song gives the power and motivation to keep pushing beyond our limits. A health club accommodating today’s exercise trends is no refuge from noise pollution. Crashing weights, blaring group-dance soundtracks, screaming trainers, kettlebells slamming to the ground: It all adds up to an aural onslaught that affects the club environment in negative ways.

• Many gyms play loud music reaching above dangerous levels up to 100 to 110 decibels.
• It’s also unhealthy to members and staff, which is the exact opposite result a health club is supposed to deliver.
• One study published in the International Journal of Audiology found that many gymgoers turn up their earbud volume so loud to block out background noise that they risked permanent damage to hearing.
• In a closed space with closed doors and windows made of glass the level of damage increases significantly.  .  

All sounds are measured in decibels. Safe levels of sound are less than 80 decibels as the threshold for safety. The decibel scale is logarithmic, so 85-decibel sound has 31.6 times more energy than 70-decibel sound, not 21% more, as might be commonly thought. 

• Sounds that exceed 85 decibels, with over an hour of exposure are dangerous for the ear. 
• For fitness centers, the USA’s Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends sound level of 80 decibels, for maximum of 45 minutes.
• As sounds increase to 88 decibels, the amount of safe exposure time drops to 23 minutes. When sounds reach 117 decibels, even 2 seconds of exposure is unsafe.

• If you’re exercising for 1 hour at the gym, you’re probably being exposed to sounds above safety levels. 

“Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is common and is 100% preventable. Once hearing loss occurs, it’s gone, you’re not getting it back” says Dr. Leslie Stengert, a health professor from Indiana University,

• Excessive noise can also increase hypertension, worsen sleep problems, harm cardiovascular health, and, of course, damage ears

Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC) calculated the safe noise level for the public to prevent hearing loss and recommended that sounds 80 db and above are dangerous and could lead to permanent, noise-induced hearing loss..

As per Government of Karnataka Noise Pollution Act (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 (Ministry of Environment and Forests, (https://kspcb.karnataka.gov.in/sites/default/files/inline-files/noise%20rules%202000.pdf Schedule rule 3(1) and 4(1)

Ambient Air Quality Standards in Respect of Noise:

• Industrial 75 db,
• Commercial 65 db,
• Residential 55 db

We, the members of Ballari Police Gymkhana are the elite and learned people of the Ballari city. Others gyms and fitness lovers will look up to us role models to be emulated. In view of this and below considerations:   

1. To follow the Govt of Karnataka law on Noise Standards (see law details above) we shall not exceed the limits permissible by law 
2. To ensure that all members enjoy the facilities without any risk to their health (see risks above)
3. To be respectful and avoid creating situations where one member's privilege (to hear loud music) does not impinge on others right to health.
4. To be respectful of other members who may not like loud music or would like to listen to a music of their choice on personal earphones.

We request the management committee of the Police Gymkhana Ballari to limit the sound level from TV and music systems in close spaces in the gym should to be less than 75.

 

 

Ref: https://vitals.lifehacker.com/how-to-tell-if-your-fitness-class-is-too-loud-1826606365