Decibel scale chart
Wear your hearing protection correctly (follow manufacturer instructions for proper use).Always wear hearing protection in noisy areas.Keep the volume low if you are listening to the radio or a personal music device and only listen in areas that are not noisy.Try to take a break from the noisy activity or reduce your time in noisy areas.If you work in a noisy environment, take the following actions to help protect yourself: See innovative examples of hearing loss prevention from the Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™ How Workers Can Prevent or Reduce Hazardous Noise Exposure Hearing protection can be quite effective when chosen correctly and used consistently. NIOSH recommends wearing hearing protection whenever noise levels exceed 85 dBA, regardless of how long the sound lasts. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Provide workers with hearing protection devices when other approaches cannot reduce noise to a safe level. Providing quiet and convenient break areas.Īdministrative controls should not be used in a way that exposes more employees to noise.Giving workers shifts doing quieter tasks and breaks from loud work.Scheduling loud work when fewer workers are around.Isolating the worker from the noise source in a room or booth (such as a sound wall or windows).Īdministrative Controls: Administrative controls establish work practices that reduce the duration, frequency, or level of exposure to hazards.Placing a barrier between the noise source and the worker.Isolating the noise source in an insulated room or enclosure.
Noise controls can involve making physical changes to the equipment or to the workplace. Prevention through Design is an approach to proactively include prevention when designing work equipment, tools, operations, and spaces.Įngineering Controls: Engineering controls protect workers by removing hazardous conditions or by placing a barrier between the worker and the hazard. Substitution: Another effective action is to use a quieter alternative, such as buying quieter equipment or tools.įor elimination and substitution, consider using Prevention through Design strategies to reduce noise exposures. For example, isolating the noise does not reduce ototoxic chemical exposures in the area.Įlimination: The most effective action is to remove the source of the noise. Keep in mind all potential exposures should be considered. You might need to use a combination of actions to maximize worker protection. The hierarchy of controls groups preventative actions by how well they may reduce or remove a workplace hazard.
Equipment that can produce noise levels around 85-90 dBA include:Īs noise reaches 95 dBA or more, you likely have to shout to be heard by someone 3 feet away. Exposures that average 95 dBA or higher includeĪ summary of different prevention strategies based on the hierarchy of controls is provided below. Sounds that are 85 dBA often require you to raise your voice to be heard by someone 3 feet away.
NIOSH developed the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app to help measure sound levels with a mobile iOS device. You can check the noise level using a sound level meter. Although the NIOSH REL is based on exposure for eight hours, everyone differs in their susceptibility to noise. Workers who are exposed to noise at or above the NIOSH REL are at risk of developing significant hearing loss over their working lifetime. NIOSH established a recommended exposure limit (REL) of 85 A-weighted decibels (dBA) averaged over an eight-hour workday. Take Precautions When Noise Is 85 dBA or Higher