wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (12/17/84)
The recent discussion of the use of fake paper bells in shopping malls (on net.legal) inspires this query: We hear a lot about the hearing loss caused by loud rock music and by gunshots. I find the sound of those hand-bells clapped so energetically by the Christmas-time solicitors to also be quite loud. It bothers my ears when I merely pass them by on the street. I would think that the hearing of the bell-ringers themselves would be severely damaged by only a day of such exposure, not to mention the three-week or longer period they seem to indulge in this masochistic behavior. Has there been any medical literature or court cases related to this? I would expect that someone who volunteered to collect money for some organization and then found their hearing permanently damaged as a result would have taken the group(s) to court over this. Do the organizations give any warning re hearing protection, issue earplugs or muffs, or otherwise take this factor into account? Will Martin USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin or ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA