Belmont's School of Music has a strong commitment to health and safety precautions and for many years has apprised students of health/safety issues, working to create an environment in which musicians can study and perform with confidence. This commitment has come partially from a significant institutional interest in vocal and instrumental pedagogy, but also from Belmont's Commercial Music Program, which has made the School of Music highly sensitive to the issues of vocal damage in the singing of popular styles and hearing loss due to exposure to excessive amplification. Belmont's proximity to and continued collaborations with the Vanderbilt Voice Clinic have heightened awareness of vocal care and a Vocal Arts Laboratory, which as been in Belmont's School of Music for almost 20 years, has encouraged a consistent focus on vocal health among Belmont music majors.
All Music Majors are provided with basic information about the maintenance of health and safety in their applied lessons, vocal and instrumental, and in their required weekly seminar (studio class). Master syllabi for vocal instrumental lessons and seminars at all levels contain core content objectives referencing health and safety issues. Basic guidelines for health and safety are also provided in the Student Handbook of the School of Music, which is available online to all music students.
Appropriate staff and faculty, particularly those related to facilities, production and crew work, are trained in OSHA policies and highest industry standards and are charged with maintaining DB (decibel) SPL (sound pressure) levels between 92 and 95 in School of Music performance facilities. Performance venue staff and student crew members are trained in their own safety and expected to consistently use ear plugs to avoid hearing damage. The length of time crew members are exposed to high levels of sound is monitored and limited.
University Health and Safety Policy
Belmont University will provide all employees, students, and visitors with an environment as free from recognizable hazards as possible. Belmont will comply with all state and federal codes and regulations, including those issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Human Resources administers, logs, and reports all employee job-related injuries and illnesses per workers’ compensation law and Department of Labor requirement. The Office of Risk Management provides guidance and assistance with environmental, workplace, and general safety upon request, including the publication of Belmont’s Hazard Communication Policy, Emergency Response Plan, and Environmental Management System.
Additional Resources
Hearing Loss
- http://www.hearnet.com/
- http://annhyg.oxfordjournals.org/content/46/5/455.short
- http://informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/00206099609071936
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15805356
- http://journals.lww.com/otology-neurotology/Abstract/1991/03000/Hearing_Loss_in_Musicians.11.aspx
Vocal Health
- https://prd-medweb-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/billwilkerson/files/How%20to%20Keep%20Your%20Voice%20Healthy%2012%202011%20FINAL.pdf
- http://www.texasvoicecenter.com/advice.html
Tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel
- https://internationalmusician.org/carpal-tunnel-syndrome-and-focal-dystonia/
- https://www.musicianshealth.com/muscular-and-skeletal-problems
- http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bursitis/bursitis_ff.asp