By Alan Wilson, Rocktalk writer

MUSIC FANS in Scotland are once again being urged to look after their hearing after a new study confirmed that listening to personal music players at a high volume over a sustained period can lead to permanent hearing damage.

The study also found that modern technology is adding to the problem as the high quality of MP3 and personal music players means thousands of Scots and up to 10 million people in the EU are turning up the volume without fear of sound distortion, but are increasing the risk of permanent ear damage.

Warnings have previously been given to music fans and people working at live music events like T in the Park, where staff are routinely issued with safety ear plugs, while the decibel levels are monitored throughout the festival’s three days.

The Royal National Institute for the Deaf’s Don’t Lose the Music campaign (dontlosethemusic.com) has welcomed the news and is urging Scots music fans to resist turning up the volume, pointing out their own research showed more than half of young people aged 16-30 are oblivious to any hearing risk from personal music players.

The report from the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks estimates that 5-10% of users risk permanent hearing loss if they listen for more than an hour a day at a high volume for at least five years.