Hearing damage can begin at just 85 decibels. At this level, at the right frequencies, the inner ear begins to break down. Your ear canal begins to harden and be less receptive to what it takes in. This hearing loss is often unrecoverable. Do you know what kinds of sound levels are around you all day?
This decibel (dB) table compares some common sounds and shows how they rank in potential harm to hearing.
|
COMMON SOUNDS
|
NOISE LEVELS (dB)
|
EFFECT
|
|
Jet engine (near)
|
140
|
|
|
Shotgun firing
Jet takeoff (100-200 ft.) |
130
|
Threshold of pain
|
|
Thunderclap (near)
Discotheque |
120
|
Threshold of sensation
|
|
Power saw
Pneumatic drill Rock music band |
110
|
Regular exposure of more than 1 min. risks permanent hearing loss
|
|
Garbage truck
|
100
|
No more than 15 min. unprotected exposure recommended.
|
|
Subway
Motorcycle Lawnmower |
90
|
Very annoying
|
|
Electric razor
Many industrial workplaces |
85
|
Level at which hearing damage begins (8 hours)
|
|
Average city traffic noise
Garbage disposal |
80
|
Annoying. Interferes with conversation
|
|
Vacuum cleaner
Hair dryer Inside a car |
70
|
Intrusive. Interferes with telephone conversation
|
|
Normal Conversation
|
60
|
|
|
Quiet office
Air conditioner |
50
|
Comfortable
|
|
Whisper
|
30
|
Very quiet
|
|
Normal breathing
|
10
|
Just audible
|
|
0
|
Threshold of normal hearing (1000-4000 Hertz)
|
Exposure Time Limits
Sound levels are logarithmic: a small increase in decibels represents a large increase in sound energy. For this reason, exposure to sound should be cut in half for every increase of 3 decibels.
|
Decibels (dB)
|
Exposure Time
|
|
85dB
|
8 hours
|
|
88dB
|
4 hours
|
|
91dB
|
2 hours
|
|
94dB
|
1 hour
|
|
97dB
|
30 minutes
|
|
100dB
|
15 minutes
|
If you’re near a machine that is loud, such as a press or drill or saw, you may be constantly in danger of ear damage. If you work around engines, pumps or anything that may create pressure, the sounds could damage your ear in just minutes!
We’ve created a banner to remind everyone to wear ear protection when needed. There are various levels of ear protection available depending on your application, so speak with your safety manager about the right protection for your assignment.
http://www.awarenessideas.com/sban001-Safety-Awareness-Banner-p/sban001.htm
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