Prolonged exposure to sound levels above 80 dB can cause permanent hearing damage. The risk increases as sound levels rise and exposure time lengthens.
As a general guideline, 80 dB is considered safe for up to 8 hours. For every 5 dB increase above 80 dB, the recommended safe exposure time is reduced by half. For example, 85 dB is considered safe for approximately 4 hours, 90 dB for about 2 hours, and 100 dB for only a few minutes.
Very loud sounds, such as explosions or amplified music at close range, can cause immediate damage even with short exposure.
