[pianotech] Hearing protection

[John Ross]

TM?
John Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Porritt, David" <dporritt at mail.smu.edu>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 06, 2009 10:08 AM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Hearing protection


Diane:

My audiologist was at a convention of audiologists and during a 
demonstration of a new molding material got the set material stuck in his 
ear.  There was a room full of trained people to help but by the time they 
removed the material they did damage his TM.  There was no (or inadequate) 
provision to let air in as the molding material was to be removed.

dave

David M. Porritt, RPT
dporritt at smu.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf 
Of Diane Hofstetter
Sent: Sunday, September 06, 2009 2:20 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Hearing protection




It's a JOY to hear everybody discussing their experiments with different 
kinds of earplugs!

Ten years ago, when I started selling earplugs and trying to convince other 
piano technicians to wear earplugs while tuning, one of the responders on 
this very thread told me that I would never be able to get members of the 
PTG to see the importance of protecting their hearing!

My personal experiences with hundreds of kinds of earplugs, and with 
different wearers has convinced me that the refrain of the National Hearing 
Conservation Association; "The best earplug is the one they will wear"! is 
so very true.

Also, I have found that different plugs are good for different purposes. 
Different protection devices are good for different hearing audiograms.  I 
tried the Sensgard and found that the high frequency noise caused by the 
device itself made it terribly annoying to me.

Regarding Robin Stevens' post (below): While I was in audiology classes at 
Portland State University, we learned how to make impressions during our lab 
classes.  We were only permitted to make impressions (even with the lab 
clinician, who was an audiologist, supervising us) during the hours an ENT 
office would be open.


Diane Hofstetter


[pianotech] Hearing protection
Robin Stevens pianobee at bigpond.com wrote:

You must have missed the show on TV called Hospital emergency, or something
like that,  where a "do it yourself" ear plug fitter got the mould in and
they would not come out ;-( after a very painful procedure the doctor
finally got them out. Morel of the story....Get them fitted by a proper
technician! I have used proper ear plugs for two years now and it was the
best money I have ever spent.
You buy expensive tools, why settle for makeshift el cheapo ear plugs.
Robin Stevens ARPT
South Australia