COLTON HEATING & COOLING
  • 315 E. Elm St. Wheaton, IL 60189

Decibel (dB) Comparisons

This decibel (dBA) table compares some common sounds and shows how they rank in potential harm to hearing. In many industries, workers are exposed to dangerous noise levels. This is particularly true in the construction, lumber, mining, steel and textile industries.

SOUND

Jet Engines (Near)

Shotgun Firing

Jet Takeoff (100-200 Ft.)

Rock Concert (Varies)

Oxygen Torch

Disco/Boom Box

Thunderclap (Near)

Stereo (Over 100 Watts)

Symphony Orchestra

Power Saw (Chain Saw)

Jackhammer

Snowmobile

Jet Fly-over (1000 Ft.)

Electric Furnace Area

Garbage Truck/Cement Mixer

Farm Tractor

Newspaper Press

Subway, Motorcycle (25 Ft)

Lawnmower, Food Blender

Recreational Vehicles, TV

Diesel Truck (40 Mph, 50 Ft.)

Average City Traffic Noise

Garbage Disposal

Washing Machine

Dishwasher

Vacuum Cleaner

Hair Dryer

Normal Conversation

Quiet Office

Refrigerator Humming

Whisper

Broadcasting Studio

Rustling Leaves

Normal Breathing

NOISE LEVEL (dBA)

140

130

130

110-140

121

120

120

110-125

110

110

110

105

103

100

100

98

97

88

85-90

70-90

84

80

80

78

75

70

70

50-65

50-60

40

30

30

20

10

0

EFFECT

 

 

  

Threshold of pain (125 dB)



Threshold of sensation (120 dB)

 

 

 

Regular exposure of more than 1 minute risks permanent hearing loss (over 100 dB)




No more than 15 minutes of unprotected exposure recommended (90-100 dB)

 



Very annoying

Level at which hearing damage begins after 8 hours (85dB)



Annoying; interferes with conversation; constant exposure may cause damage



Intrusive; interferes with telephone conversation



Comfortable (under 60 dB)


Very quiet


Just audible


Threshold of normal hearing (1000-4000 Hz)

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 gives 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 the 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.