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How loud a sound determines how likely it is to affect your hearing. The first one is, of course, the sound level.
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Dangerous and Safe Decibel LevelsĪs a general rule, the higher up it is on the decibel scale, the more dangerous a sound is to your hearing.īut, to determine what decibel levels are dangerous and what decibel levels are safe for hearing, we must take into account three main factors.
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In fact, because the decibel level is logarithmic, not linear, for every 5 additional decibels over the limit, the exposure time must be cut in half. What this means is that if you are exposed to higher decibel levels for a shorter time, the exposure time must be cut accordingly. The NIOSH and OSHA standards represent an 8-hour average, and the EPA recommended level is a 24-hour average. Noise levels above 70 dB can cause tinnitus, hearing damage, or noise-induced hearing loss.Īnother important aspect to consider when determining what decibel is hearing safe is the total noise dose. However, these maximum noise levels apply to work environments and are the limits from which employers are mandated to provide hearing protection for workers.įor any other environments, such as at home or in public spaces, the general recommended noise exposure limit is 70 dB.Īccording to the Environmental Protection Agency, keeping noise exposure under this maximum 70 dB level can help you prevent hearing loss over a lifetime, and exposure to more than 70 decibels is not hearing safe. These figures are what you will usually see provided as an answer to the question ‘What decibel is hearing safe?’. The maximum exposure limits recommended by organizations like OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and NIOSH (the US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) are 90 dBA and, respectively, 85 dBA. To understand what decibel is hearing safe, let’s look at a few of the available recommendations on this topic. In this article, we’re going to look into what decibel levels are hearing safe and what you can do to measure noise and protect your hearing. To prevent hearing impairment and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), you should be aware of what decibel level is safe for your hearing and monitor your daily exposure. Loud sounds can harm your hearing and, in some cases, even cause hearing loss. Protect Your Hearing Using Decibel Pro Appįrom tiny birds chirping to music concerts and construction equipment, sound can be very diverse.4.2 Don't listen to loud sounds for too long