Turn down the noise!

The ear and the ability to hear is so vital for communication and one’s overall health.

Children need to hear to develop language, to learn and to interact. Impaired hearing can, therefore, impact speech, academic performance and social development negatively.

Among adults, impaired hearing can lead to cognitive decline and, if left untreated, can plunge one into a mental abyss of frustration and social isolation.

We are able to respond to alarms and other warning signals when we can hear clearly. It is the ability to hear footsteps and other dangerous noise that helps us navigate safely in our environment.

Whilst we may take it for granted, one’s quality of life of living independently of others and enjoying leisure music and other recreational activities is made possible by hearing well.

For these reasons, March 3rd each year has been set aside as the World Hearing Day. The theme for this year is “Changing mindsets: Empower yourself to make ear and hearing care a reality for all!”.

An important aspect of hearing care is the protection of one’s ears from noise pollution. Noise pollution refers to excessive community noise. 

Laws

In Ghana, there are many laws that seek to ensure acceptable noise levels in order to maintain public peace. However, this nuisance by some hotels, pubs, restaurants and religious gatherings still remains a threat to the overall health of neighbors sometimes stretching from 6pm to 6am the following day.

These Legislative Instruments (LIs) include the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490) which establishes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and empowers it to regulate environmental pollution, including noise pollution.

The Environmental Protection Agency (Noise Standards) Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 2248) seeks to set noise standards for different areas, including residential, commercial, and industrial areas.

The Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) empowers local authorities, such as Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies, to regulate noise pollution within their jurisdictions in addition to other bye-laws.

Sound is measured in decibels (dB), which is simply a scale that measures the loudness of sound. Sound is considered "noise" when it is unwanted, unpleasant, or disruptive to the listener especially in cases when it is very loud or exceeds 80dB.

For reference, a whisper is 20dB, a normal conversation is 60dB and a party or concert noise is about 120dB.

The recommended noise limit by the World Health Organisation is sound exposure upto 100dB for no more than 15 minutes in a day. 

This is why acceptable public sound exposure in Ghana, whether in residential, industrial or commercial areas is not to exceed 75dB at any point in time, especially after 10pm.

The continuous environmental noise that some unscrupulous persons insist on making especially at night is a threat to the cognitive development of exposed children and can even cause hearing impairment.

Prolonged exposure to loud noises can cause cardiovascular diseases increasing one’s risk of stroke and hypertension. Sleep disturbances can further affect mood and quality of life. There is a resultant loss of productivity at school and work by affected persons.

The annoyance and stress that is caused by noise pollution can cause depression.

Duty bearers must therefore enforce these laws without fear or favour because in worse case scenarios, prolonged exposure to loud noises can lead to premature death in the long run.

As we empower ourselves to make hearing care a reality, let’s make it possible for every child within our sphere of influence to have a hearing check immediately because early detection will enable early intervention.

The writer is a Child Development Expert/ Fellow at Zero-to-three Academy, USA.

E-mail: nanaesi_19@yahoo.co.uk