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Common Sounds
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This decibel (dB) table compares some common sounds and shows how they rank in potential harm to hearing.
| Sound |
Noise Level (dB) |
Effect |
| Boom Cars |
145 |
|
| Jet Engines (near) |
140 |
|
Shotgun Firing
Jet Takeoff (100-200 ft.) |
130 |
|
| Rock Concerts (varies) |
110–140 |
Threshold of pain begins around 125 dB |
| Oxygen Torch |
121 |
|
Discotheque/Boom Box
Thunderclap (near) |
120 |
Threshold of sensation begins around 120 dB |
| Stereos (over 100 watts) |
110–125 |
|
Symphony Orchestra
Power Saw (chainsaw)
Pneumatic Drill/Jackhammer |
110 |
Regular exposure to sound over 100 dB of more than one minute risks permanent hearing loss. |
| Snowmobile |
105 |
|
| Jet Flyover (1000 ft.) |
103 |
|
Electric Furnace Area
Garbage Truck/Cement Mixer |
100 |
No more than 15 minutes of unprotected exposure recommended for sounds between 90–100 dB. |
| Farm Tractor |
98 |
|
| Newspaper Press |
97 |
|
| Subway, Motorcycle (25 ft.) |
88 |
Very annoying |
Lawnmower, Food Blender
Recreational Vehicles, TV |
85–90
70–90 |
85 dB is the level at which hearing damage (8 hrs.) begins |
| Diesel Truck (40 mph, 50 ft.) |
84 |
|
Average City Traffic
Garbage Disposal |
80 |
Annoying; interferes with conversation; constant exposure may cause damage |
| Washing Machine |
78 |
|
| Dishwasher |
75 |
|
| Vacuum Cleaner, Hair Dryer |
70 |
Intrusive; interferes with telephone conversation |
| Normal Conversation |
50–65 |
|
| Quiet Office |
50–60 |
Comfortable hearing levels are under 60 dB. |
| Refrigerator Humming |
40 |
|
| Whisper |
30 |
Very quiet |
| Broadcasting Studio |
30 |
|
| Rustling Leaves |
20 |
Just audible |
| Normal Breathing |
10 |
|
Since the sensitivity of the ear to sound is not the same for all frequencies, weighting or attenuating filters are included in the sound level meter’s circuits to simulate the ears' response. A noise level meter finds an instantaneous measurement of the noise present, but cannot measure the duration of the exposure. To measure the amount of noise a person is exposed to over a period of time, a "dosimeter" or an integrated sound level meter must be used. Sources for above include the American Medical Association and the Canadian Hearing Society of Ontario. Decibel table developed by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892. January 1990.
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