BILL NUMBER: SB 87
INTRODUCED BY: Senator Michael W. Morrissey of Quincy, MA
Contact Senator Morrisey: m.morriss@sen.state.ma.us
Contact Senator Morrissey's office:
s.callaha@sen.state.ma.us
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND LABOR JANUARY 1,
1999
HOUSE CONCURRED JANUARY 6, 1999
SCHEDULED FOR HEARING WITH THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND LABOR MARCH
31, 1999
Contact the Committees on Commerce and Labor:
Senator Stephen Lynch, Senate Chair
Committee on Commerce and Labor
Room 312 D
State House
Boston, MA 02133
(617) 722-1550
Representative Peter Larkin, House Chair
Committee on Commerce and Labor
Room 43
State House
Boston, MA 02133
(617) 722-2030
AN ACT requiring the posting of signs warning of the danger of exposure
to amplified sound in health clubs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in
General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Section 1:
(a) As used in this act, the following words shall have the
following meanings, unless the context requires otherwise:
"Amplified sound", speech or music increased in intensity
or volume by the use of any amplifier.
"A", the A-weighted scal, a sound level-filtering network
weighted to approximate an equal loudness contour at 40 phons.
"SPL", sound pressure level, a quantity of sound energy
relative to reference pressure, 0.000.2 dynes/cm2.
(b) A health club, as defined in section 78 of chapter 93 of General
Laws, shall permanently and prominently post warning signs about the
danger of exposure to amplified sound. Such signs shall state that
consumers and employees endanger their hearing when exposed to amplified
sound exceeding 90 decibels A SPL. If sound levels in a health club are
found to exceed such limit, the health club shall either reduce the volume
or provide adequate hearing protection devices. Such devices shall be
designed to attenuate excessive noise to protect hearing by either
blocking the ear canal or covering the external ear and shall be provided
to consumers and employees at no charge. Signage shall include the
telephone number of the board of health for the city or town in which the
health club is located for patrons to report a violation of the noise
safety standards.
A health club found to be in violation of this act shall be issued a
warning for the first offense and shall be fined not more than $500 for
each subsequent offense. Each day that a violation occurs shall be deemed
a separate offense.