|
Environmental
Noise
|
|
Weakest sound heard
|
0dB
|
|
Whisper Quiet Library at 6'
|
30dB
|
|
Normal conversation at 3'
|
60-65dB
|
|
Telephone dial tone
|
80dB
|
|
City Traffic (inside car)
|
85dB
|
|
Train whistle at 500', Truck Traffic
|
90dB
|
|
Jackhammer at 50'
|
95dB
|
|
Subway train at 200'
|
95dB
|
|
Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss
|
90 - 95dB
|
|
Hand Drill
|
98dB
|
|
Power mower at 3'
|
107dB
|
|
Snowmobile, Motorcycle
|
100dB
|
|
Power saw at 3'
|
110dB
|
|
Sandblasting, Loud Rock Concert
|
115dB
|
|
Pain begins
|
125dB
|
|
Pneumatic riveter at 4'
|
125dB
|
|
Even short term exposure can cause permanent damage - Loudest
recommended exposure WITH hearing protection
|
140dB
|
|
Jet engine at 100'
|
140dB
|
|
12 Gauge Shotgun Blast
|
165dB
|
|
Death of hearing tissue
|
180dB
|
|
Loudest sound possible
|
194dB
|
|
OSHA Daily Permissible Noise Level Exposure
|
|
Hours per day
|
Sound level
|
|
8
|
90dB
|
|
6
|
92dB
|
|
4
|
95dB
|
|
3
|
97dB
|
|
2
|
100dB
|
|
1.5
|
102dB
|
|
1
|
105dB
|
|
.5
|
110dB
|
|
.25 or less
|
115dB
|
|
NIOSH Daily Permissible Noise Level Exposure
|
|
Hours per day
|
Sound level
|
|
8
|
85dBA
|
|
6
|
86dBA
|
|
4
|
88dBA
|
|
3
|
89dBA
|
|
2
|
90dBA
|
|
1.5
|
92dBA
|
|
1
|
94dBA
|
|
.5
|
97dBA
|
|
.25 or less
|
100dBA
|
|
0
|
112dBA
|
|
Perceptions of Increases in Decibel Level
|
|
Imperceptible Change
|
1dB
|
|
Barely Perceptible Change
|
3dB
|
|
Clearly Noticeable Change
|
5dB
|
|
About Twice as Loud
|
10dB
|
|
About Four Times as Loud
|
20dB
|
|
Sound Levels of Music
|
|
Normal piano practice
|
60 -70dB
|
|
Fortissimo Singer, 3'
|
70dB
|
|
Chamber music, small auditorium
|
75 - 85dB
|
|
Piano Fortissimo
|
84 - 103dB
|
|
Violin
|
82 - 92dB
|
|
Cello
|
85 -111dB
|
|
Oboe
|
95-112dB
|
|
Flute
|
92 -103dB
|
|
Piccolo
|
90 -106dB
|
|
Clarinet
|
85 - 114dB
|
|
French horn
|
90 - 106dB
|
|
Trombone
|
85 - 114dB
|
|
Tympani & bass drum
|
106dB
|
|
Walkman on 5/10
|
94dB
|
|
Symphonic music peak
|
120 - 137dB
|
|
Amplifier, rock, 4-6'
|
120dB
|
|
Rock music peak
|
150dB
|
NOTES:
·
One-third
of the total power of a 75-piece orchestra comes from the bass drum.
·
High
frequency sounds of 2-4,000 Hz are the most damaging. The uppermost octave of
the piccolo is 2,048-4,096 Hz.
·
Aging
causes gradual hearing loss, mostly in the high frequencies.
·
Speech
reception is not seriously impaired until there is about 30 dB loss; by that
time severe damage may have occurred.
Tags:
sound meter, sound level meter, SLM, noise meter, noise, sound decibel level, sound level, sound chart, noise ordinance, OSHA, OSHA noise,
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