How to Prevent Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Loud noise can damage hearing or cause permanent hearing loss. Dangerous noise levels can be found in workplaces; recreational settings like restaurants, concerts, stadiums, and clubs; in the classroom; or even on our own personal audio devices.
What is a safe noise level? We record noise levels in decibels, or dBA. The higher the noise level, the louder the noise. 0 is the faintest sound the human ear can detect and 180 would be the noise a rocket would make as it launches into space. In our daily lives, normal conversation would be at the 60 dB level, a lawn mower would be at 90 dB, a chain saw at 100 dB, a loud rock concert would be at 115 dB and a jet engine would be at 140 dB. Many experts believe that continued exposure to more than 85 decibels is asking for trouble. The longer you are exposed to a loud noise and the closer you are to it, the higher the risk is of damage.
When does noise become dangerous?
As a rule of thumb, the following situations put you in the danger zone:
Take Action to protect your hearing: Download a free sound level meter app from your phones app store
NIOSH Sound Level Meter App | NIOSH | CDC (apple only at this time)
Sound Meter – Apps on Google Play
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