Decibel reference: 18 everyday sounds
| dB | Sound | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Threshold of hearing | Safe |
| 10 | Breathing | Safe |
| 20 | Rustling leaves, ticking watch | Safe |
| 30 | Whisper | Safe |
| 40 | Quiet library, refrigerator hum | Safe |
| 50 | Light rain, quiet office | Safe |
| 60 | Normal conversation | Safe |
| 70 | Vacuum, washing machine, traffic | Caution |
| 80 | Garbage disposal, busy restaurant | Caution |
| 85 | Heavy traffic, food blender | Damage risk (8 h) |
| 90 | Lawnmower, hair dryer | Damage risk (2 h) |
| 100 | Motorcycle, hand drill | Damage (15 min) |
| 110 | Rock concert, chainsaw | Damage (1 min) |
| 120 | Jet takeoff at 200 ft, ambulance siren | Immediate risk |
| 130 | Jackhammer up close | Pain threshold |
| 140 | Gunshot, firework at 3 ft | Immediate damage |
| 150 | Jet engine at 30 m | Eardrum rupture |
| 180 | Rocket launch | Lethal range |
How the decibel scale works
The decibel (dB) is a logarithmic ratio of sound pressure relative to the quietest sound a young, healthy ear can detect. Because it's logarithmic:
- +3 dB = double the sound power (but barely audible difference).
- +10 dB = 10× the sound power, perceived as roughly twice as loud.
- +20 dB = 100× the energy, perceived as roughly 4× as loud.
This is why moving from a 70 dB office to an 85 dB construction site is not "a bit louder" — it's roughly 32× the sound energy hitting your ears.
NIOSH safe-exposure times
The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health uses a 3 dB exchange rate: every 3 dB increase halves the safe exposure time.
| Level | Maximum daily exposure |
|---|---|
| 85 dB | 8 hours |
| 88 dB | 4 hours |
| 91 dB | 2 hours |
| 94 dB | 1 hour |
| 100 dB | 15 minutes |
| 106 dB | 3.75 minutes |
| 112 dB | 56 seconds |
| 118 dB | 14 seconds |
Safe listening with headphones
The World Health Organization recommends keeping personal-audio listening below 80 dB for adults (75 dB for children) and limiting weekly use to about 40 hours at that level. A practical test: if someone an arm's length away has to raise their voice to be heard over your headphones, the volume is too high.
FAQ
How quickly can loud sound damage hearing?
At 100 dB, NIOSH says 15 minutes per day. At 120 dB or above, damage can begin within seconds. Brief, very loud impulses (gunshots, fireworks) can cause permanent damage on first exposure.
Are noise-cancelling headphones safer?
Yes — they reduce the volume you need to overcome background noise, which typically means lower in-ear dB at the same perceived loudness.
What does "A-weighted" (dBA) mean?
dBA adjusts the measurement to match how the human ear perceives loudness across frequencies. Most safety thresholds quoted here are dBA.
Next step
Try our built-in soundscapes — all generated in your browser, volume always under your control.
Open White Noise Lab → Browse Sounds