On the receiving end of the vuvuzelas

The vuvuzela seems to be causing more controversy in the World Cup than the football itself! The noise from the celebratory vuvuzela can hit over 125 decibels. This is around the level of noise from a jet engine from 200 feet away! Even if this exposure is averaged as a few hours over a whole week, this is still a long way above the levels considered acceptable by the UK's Control of Noise at Work Regulations, 2005.

What does this mean for the fans? Those exposed to the noise may experience ringing in the ears after exposure, termed tinnitus. Our bodies have a wonderful capacity to regenerate, and the tiny hair cells in our ears responsible for our hearing will recover. However after prolonged exposure, hearing may be permanently damaged at the frequencies of the vuvuzela. The damage caused by the vuvuzela could result in loss of both frequency sensitivity and increase in hearing threshold - which means that sounds need to be louder to be able to hear them.

What does the constant noise mean for the footballers? A footballer relies on communication with team mates and managers to formulate the teamwork that results in the very best football on the pitch. With the sound of the vuvuzelas disrupting this communication, several players have said the din of the horns is having an impact on the field. Robin van Persie blamed the vuvuzelas for missing an offside whistle, therefore avoiding a second yellow card - and a ban from the next game! The Swiss coach is taking a unique stance, in scheduling extra training sessions for his team and inviting local South African fans along. He is relying on them bringing their horns to force his players to develop additional ways of communications on the pitch when their voices are drowned out by the constant buzz.

If you're watching the football at home and have an equalizer on your home TV or sound system, try manually muting or turning down frequencies between 465Hz and 235Hz. For more information, visit the Lifehacker website. And if you want to know what a single vuvuzela sounds like, you can try one out for yourself.

If you are worried about your hearing, or wish to learn more about noise at work, there is a wealth of resources on the HSE website.