To a chorus of dismay from many of those affected, health and safety inspectors have issued strict new guidelines intended to protect soldiers who play the Scottish bagpipes from suffering hearing loss. “As well as wearing ear protectors, the guidelines insist that pipers should only play for a maximum of 24 minutes a day outside, and only 15 in practice rooms….The tests were run because the military feared the possibility of having to pay compensation to soldiers who might argue that their hearing had been damaged by too much pipe-playing. The Ministry of Defence already makes special payments to personnel whose hearing has been affected by working on rifle ranges or in other loud environments.” Aficionados of the beloved Scottish instrument called the rules “silly” and “just ridiculous”; an aspiring piper who wants to excel should be spending more than 15 minutes a day on practice, said one. “The pipes should be played loudly, that’s how they inspire soldiers and scare the enemy,” said Bill Lark, 85, “a veteran Black Watch piper who led his comrades into action against the Japanese in 1944”. (Murdo MacLeod, “Army pipers can’t believe their ears”, Scotland on Sunday/The Scotsman, Jul. 23)(via Dave Zincavage). Earlier coverage: Dec. 22-25, 2000; Mar. 8-10, 2002; Jan. 12, 2004; Nov. 19, 2005.

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