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Decibel Range Charts and Hearing Info



The charts on this page will show you different noise levels for specific jobs, tools, and various situations. The important thing to remember is to always protect your hearing for noise levels above 85 dB and use double protection if levels go over 105dB.

 

Once your hearing has been damaged it can't be fixed...So wear hearing protection....unless you like the idea of wearing a hearing aid all the time!

 

Decibel (dB) Range Charts - Click to Enlarge


 


Decibel (dB) is the unit used to measure a sound's strength. The decibel scale is not linear but logarithmic. This means that noise levels can't be added directly like other numbers.

 

On the decibel scale, the smallest audible sound (near total silence) is 0 dB. A sound 10 times more powerful is 10 dB. A sound 100 times more powerful than near total silence is 20 dB. A sound 1,000 times more powerful than near total silence is 30 dB.

 

For example, a backhoe and a compressor each producing 90 dB have a combined output of 93 dB, not 180. But 93 dB is still twice as much noise as 90 dB. In other words, sound intensity doubles every 3 dB. Hearing protection should be used for any level over 85 dB and double protection for any level over 105 dB.

 

Sounds must also be specified in terms of frequency or pitch.

 

Most workplace noises include a wide band of frequencies and are measured through the "A" filter in sound-level meters.

 

The noise level is therefore expressed in decibels (dB) on the "A" scale, or dB(A).

 

Duration of exposure is equally important. Duration is typically measured over a workday and accumulated through many years.

 

The chart below shows different

types of power tools and their noise levels.

Always wear hearing protection for anything over 85 dB!

 

HOW MUCH PROTECTION DO YOU NEED?

USE THIS CHART TO WORK OUT THE CORRECT GRADE OF HEARING PROTECTION FOR YOUR WORKPLACE:

HOW LOUD IS THE NOISE HAZARD DECIBELS TIME EXPOSED
TO NOISE
ALLOWABLE
LEVEL
NOISE LEVEL
ABOVE LIMIT
RECOMMENDED HEARING PROTECTION GRADE
BELT SANDER 82-92 8 HOURS 85 dBA Up to 12 dBA Grade 2
BAND SAW 94-95 4 HOURS 88 dBA    
TRUCK/TRACTOR 90-110 2 HOURS 91 dBA    
SKILL SAW/CHAIN SAW 95-110 I HOUR 94 dBA Up to 18 dBA Grade 3
BAND SAW 94-95 30 MINS 97 dBA    
WOOD PLANER 94-96 15 MINS 100 dBA    
BRAKE RIVETTER 97-99 8 MINS 103 dBA Up to 24 dBA Grade 4
GRINDER 83-100 4 MINS 106 dBA     
ROUTER 98-100 2 MINS 109 dBA    
GUILLOTINE 94-103 1 MIN 112 dBA Up to 30 dBA Grade 5
WELDING MACHINE 99-100 30 SECS 115 dBA    
CIRCULAR SAW 100-106        
IMPACT WRENCH 104-107        
DIESEL GENERATOR 107-111        
SAND BLASTING 105-115         
COMPRESSOR 101-123        
PNEUMATIC DRILL 120-130         

APPROVED HEARING PROTECTION GRADES

Hearing Protection Grade Equivalent Continuous
Sound level  (8 Hours)
Types of Approved Hearing
Protection
1 86-91 dB(A) Earplugs/Earmuffs
2 92-97 dB(A) Earplugs/Earmuffs
3 98-103 dB(A) Earmuffs
4 104-109 dB(A) Earmuffs
5 110-115 dB(A) Earmuffs

 

Normal Ear Function:

 

  • Sound is transmitted as sound waves from the environment. The sound waves are gathered by the outer ear and sent down the ear canal to the eardrum.
  • The sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate, which sets the three tiny bones in the middle ear into motion.
  • The motion of the bones causes the fluid in the inner ear or cochlea to move.
  • The movement of the inner ear fluid causes the hair cells in the cochlea to bend. The hair cells change the movement into electrical pluses.
  • These electrical impulses are transmitted to the hearing (auditory) nerve and up to the brain, where they are interpreted as sound.