Monitoring noise exposure with 10EaZy

10EaZy is a very convenient and simple way to evaluate the noise exposure at different work areas in a venue or discotheque.


With the new EU directive 10EC, an increased demand has been put on venue owners and other persons hiring staff for live music events. The directive dictates maximum noise exposure limits under which the employees are allowed to work. This directive has been implemented in each EU country and the rules might differ slightly from country to country, but in general the rule states that no employee is to receive a noise dose above 87 dB(A) on an 8 hour average per day. If the noise levels will exceed this limit, and they will on a majority of venues throughout Europe, the owner has to measure the noise level and take any possible action to reduce the exposure. 

These actions may range from redesigning the layout of stage areas and the distance to workplaces, to handing out earplugs.

The most correct way to ensure compliance with this directive is to equip each employee with a microphone system close to their ear, a so called ”dosimeter”, and then measure each individuals noise exposure. This is of course very difficult and expensive to do on a daily basis, so the majority of regulations allow for monitoring at specific locations in the work area. 

Besides being a unique and clever way to ensure sensible sound levels at live events, 10EaZy is also capable of performing evaluating measurements in terms of work environment.

Using 10EaZy’s ability to log measurement values, a “noise map” may be created based on the sound level at a reference point, and then doing measurements at different work positions like the bar, wardrobe or pit in front of stage. The procedure is fairly simple. 

A reference point, typically a position at the mixing console or the centre of the main floor, is selected and a steady type of noise, called pink noise, is played thru the house sound system. The level should be set to represent a typical live sound level, which may have been logged at previously concerts. If no such measurements exist, a level of 100 to a 103 dB(A) on the “SLOW” display setting should be representative. Maintain the level and log the values with 10EaZy for 3 – 5 minutes. Then move the microphone, without changing the level of noise coming from the house system, and log the sound level at each work location for 3 – 5 minutes. When this is done the log file created by 10EaZy may be analysed either thru a text editor, or better, thru a spreadsheet editor.

The difference from the reference value and the logged values, may then be used to gain a guideline view of the noise exposure at the different work locations.