The company immediately set up a thorough risk assessment programme, which is already being adopted by several leading West End theatre production (and touring) companies. The assessment monitors employee exposure to sound levels within the workplace, setting out different thresholds of risk, over short bursts and sustained periods, along with the appropriate action that needs to be taken.
Central to this are small 'dosemeters', which are clipped discreetly onto employees working in specific areas which are activated simply via a keyfob; the readings are then monitored by Orbital.
Orbital Sound technical director, Tim Sherratt, who has masterminded the programme, was this month working with the Really Useful Theatre Company (RUTC) to monitor sound level exposure by the orchestra at London's Adelphi Theatre (for Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat) - fitting five dosemeters to the musicians' lapels incrementally over a three night period.
Commented Dan Hinde, RUTC's general manager: "As a responsible employer we wholeheartedly endorse this initiative, and know it is incumbent on us to create an environment which works within the guidelines. Based on these findings, we can then take the necessary preventative measures."
Appropriate noise risk assessments must be taken for each production being staged in each venue, and suitable preventative measures taken as necessary.
So how does this work in practice? The regulations specify the quantity of sound exposure on both a daily and weekly basis - and on different types of day (eg set-up, single-show and two-show days).
Tim Sherratt argues that standard handheld SPL meters cannot provide the correct time averaged measurements required by law. "These will result in over-inflated figures and would lead to preventative measures being unnecessarily implemented," he believes. "Within a theatre environment employees work in different areas with different noise levels. Therefore all areas must be assessed - including on stage, side of stage, orchestra pit, FOH engineer, Fly Floors, FOH staff."
It is easy to implement, he says, and the dosemeters allow unsupervised measurements to be taken by the company manager. "But the new regulations are very specific in what actions are required to be undertaken by the employer. The law states three different action levels for daily average and peak sound pressure levels."
Orbital Sound has also designed reporting software that interprets the results from which appropriate risk assessments (with consequent recommendations) can be provided. For touring productions results can be approximated for all venues from measurements taken during the production period.
In the event of action being required Orbital Sound offer a variety of solutions including: disposable ear plugs, linear ear plugs, alternative communication headsets and other in-ear solutions.
Orbital currently offers a special package price to TMA (Theatrical Managers Association) and SOLT members (Society of London Theatres).
Tim Sherratt concludes: "The Control of Noise At Work Regulations is something that every employer needs to be cogniscent of, but it is simply a change in working practice - it is not a difficult procedure."
(Jim Evans)
