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How loud is too loud? Safe decibel levels and times

Hearing damage depends on level and time together. The widely used guide: 85 dBA for 8 hours, with the safe time halving for every 3 dB more.

The rule of thumb: 85 dBA for 8 hours

The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends limiting exposure to 85 dBA averaged over an 8-hour day, and halving the time for every 3 dB above that1. The 3 dB step is the “equal energy” rule: 3 dB is double the sound energy, so half the time gives the same dose. NIOSH also says no exposure should exceed 140 dBA, and the accepted ceiling for impulse peaks is 140 dB.

OSHA’s legal limit for US workplaces is looser: 90 dBA for 8 hours with a 5 dB step, and employers must run a hearing conservation programme from 85 dBA2. In the UK, employers must assess the risk and provide information from a daily exposure of 80 dB(A), and provide hearing protection and require its use at 85 dB(A); 87 dB(A) is a limit that must not be exceeded at the ear, counting the protection worn3. The EU directive sets the same values4.

LevelNIOSH recommended limitOSHA legal limit
85 dBA8 h8 h or more
88 dBA4 h8 h or more
91 dBA2 h6 h 58 min
94 dBA1 h4 h 36 min
97 dBA30 min3 h 2 min
100 dBA15 min2 h
103 dBA7 min 30 s1 h 19 min
106 dBA3 min 45 s52 min
109 dBA1 min 53 s34 min
112 dBA56 s23 min
115 dBA28 s15 min

Calculated with the NIOSH and OSHA formulas; the site’s tests check these against both agencies’ published tables.

Everyday sounds against the limit

SoundLevelNIOSH daily limit at the loud end
Crickets40–96 dBA38 min
Garbage disposal67–93 dBA1 h 16 min
Noisy toys70–102 dBA9 min 27 s
Gym fitness class85.6–93.1 dBA1 h 14 min
Violin80–105 dBA4 min 43 s
Impact driver88–98.5 dBA21 min
Strimmer (string trimmer)87.9–101.5 dBA11 min
Impact wrench96–97 dBA30 min
Headphones at full volume80–115 dBA28 s
Helicopter97–105 dBA4 min 43 s
Marching band91.2–112.3 dBA52 s
Nightclub94–112.4 dBA51 s
Tractor pull99.7–108.6 dBA2 min 3 s
Tank (moving)96–117 dBA18 s

Outside work, and for children

These limits were written to protect most working adults over a career. For leisure listening, the World Health Organization’s safe listening standard uses a weekly allowance: the energy of 80 dB for 40 hours a week for adults, and 75 dB for 40 hours for children and more sensitive listeners5. Because that is a weekly budget, 3 dB more halves the hours: 83 dBA for 20 hours a week, 86 dBA for 10.

Warning signs

Ringing (tinnitus) or muffled hearing after a loud event means your ears have been overloaded. Noise-induced hearing loss builds up and is permanent, but it is preventable6. If you notice ringing that does not go away, difficulty following conversation, or a sudden change in hearing, see an audiologist or doctor.

Questions

Is 85 decibels loud?

85 dBA is about heavy city traffic heard from the pavement or a loud restaurant. It is the level where NIOSH says 8 hours a day is the most you should have.

How long can you listen to 100 dB?

NIOSH recommends no more than 15 minutes a day at 100 dBA. OSHA allows 2 hours, but NIOSH’s figure is the more protective one.

Is 70 dB safe?

Yes for hearing: 70 dBA is well below the 85 dBA 8-hour level. It can still disturb sleep or concentration.

Sources

  1. NIOSH's recommended exposure limit (REL) is 85 dBA as an 8-hour time-weighted average with a 3 dB exchange rate: every 3 dB louder halves the allowed time (88 dBA 4 h, 91 dBA 2 h, 94 dBA 1 h, 97 dBA 30 min, 100 dBA 15 min). No exposure should exceed 140 dBA.
    • Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Noise Exposure, Revised Criteria 1998 (DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-126), NIOSH / CDC (CDC Stacks).The REL is 85 decibels, A-weighted, as an 8-hr time-weighted average (85 dBA as an 8-hr TWA). Exposures at and above this level are considered hazardous.In accordance with Section 1.1.l, the REL for an 8-hr work shift is a TWA of 85 dBA using a 3-decibel (dB) exchange rate.88 4 – – 114 – – 3591 2 – – 117 – – 1894 1 – – 120 – – 997 – 30 – 123 – – 4100 – 15 – 126 – – 285 8 – – 111 – 1 1180 25 24 – 106 – 3 45Exposure to continuous, varying, intermittent, or impulsive noise shall not exceed 140 dBA.The generally accepted ceiling limit of 140 dB peak SPL for impulsive noise is based on a report by Kryter et al. [1966].With a 40-year lifetime exposure at the 85-dBA REL, the excess risk of developing occupational NIHL is 8%—considerably lower than the 25% excess risk at the 90-dBA permissible exposure limit (PEL)Checked 2026-11-02.
    • About Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention, NIOSH / CDC.NIOSH established a recommended exposure limit (REL) of 85 A-weighted decibels (dBA) averaged over an eight-hour workday.For each 3 dBA increase in noise level, NIOSH recommends reducing the exposure duration by half.Checked 2026-11-02.
  2. OSHA's enforceable permissible exposure limit (PEL) in 29 CFR 1910.95 is 90 dBA for 8 hours with a 5 dB exchange rate (Table G-16: 95 dBA 4 h, 100 dBA 2 h, 105 dBA 1 h, 110 dBA 30 min, 115 dBA 15 min or less). A hearing conservation programme is required at the 85 dBA action level (a 50% dose). Impulsive or impact noise should not exceed 140 dB peak.
  3. Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, the lower exposure action values are 80 dB(A) daily or weekly exposure and 135 dB(C) peak; the upper exposure action values are 85 dB(A) and 137 dB(C); the exposure limit values are 87 dB(A) and 140 dB(C), and the limit values take account of hearing protection.
    • The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, Regulation 4 (as made), legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives).(a) a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 80 dB (A-weighted); and (b) a peak sound pressure of 135 dB (C-weighted).(a) a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 85 dB (A-weighted); and (b) a peak sound pressure of 137 dB (C-weighted).(a) a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 87 dB (A-weighted); and (b) a peak sound pressure of 140 dB (C-weighted).Checked 2026-11-02.
    • Noise at work: The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, Health and Safety Executive (HSE).There is also an exposure limit value of 87 dB(A), taking account of any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection, above which workers must not be exposed.The level at which employers must provide hearing protection and hearing protection zones is 85 dB(A) (daily or weekly average exposure) and the level at which employers must assess the risk to workers' health and provide them with information and training is 80 dB(A).Checked 2026-11-02.
    • Sound advice: Control of noise at work in music and entertainment (HSG260), Health and Safety Executive (HSE).These noise exposures are identical: 80 dB for 8 hours 83 dB for 4 hours 86 dB for 2 hours 89 dB for 1 hour 92 dB for 30 minutesChecked 2026-11-02.
  4. Directive 2003/10/EC sets exposure limit values of 87 dB(A) LEX,8h and 200 Pa peak (140 dB(C)), upper exposure action values of 85 dB(A) and 140 Pa (137 dB(C)), and lower exposure action values of 80 dB(A) and 112 Pa (135 dB(C)). Hearing protection is taken into account for the limit values only.
    • Directive 2003/10/EC (noise), Article 3: Exposure limit values and exposure action values, legislation.gov.uk (copy of EU Official Journal text).(a) exposure limit values: L EX,8h = 87 dB(A) and p peak = 200 Pa( 1 ) respectively;(b) upper exposure action values: L EX,8h 85 dB(A) and p peak = 140 Pa( 2 ) respectively;(c) lower exposure action values: L EX,8h = 80 dB(A) and p peak = 112 Pa( 3 ) respectively.When applying the exposure limit values, the determination of the worker's effective exposure shall take account of the attenuation provided by the individual hearing protectors worn by the worker. The exposure action values shall not take account of the effect of any such protectors.Checked 2026-11-02.
    • Directive 2003/10/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 February 2003 (Official Journal L 42/38), Official Journal of the European Union (PDF via legislation.gov.uk).(1) 140 dB (C) in relation to 20 µPa.(2) 137 dB (C) in relation to 20 µPa.(3) 135 dB (C) in relation to 20 µPa.Checked 2026-11-02.
  5. The WHO-ITU safe listening standard (H.870, 2019) has devices track a weekly 'sound allowance' against a reference of 80 dB for 40 hours a week for adults and 75 dB for 40 hours a week for children. WHO says over 1 billion young people are at risk of hearing loss from unsafe listening, and its 2022 Global Standard for Safe Listening Venues and Events sets a maximum average sound level of 100 decibels.
    • Safe listening devices and systems: a WHO-ITU standard, World Health Organization.Mode 1 for adults: 80 dB for 40 hours per week.Mode 2 for children: 75 dB for 40 hours per week.Dosimetry function: The personal audio device will include software that tracks the level and duration of the user’s exposure to sound as a percentage used of a reference exposure, also known as a user’s “sound allowance”.Checked 2026-11-02.
    • Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening (Q&A), World Health Organization.For example, you can safely listen to a sound level of 80dB for up to 40 hours a week. If the sound level is 90dB, the safe listening time reduces to four hours per week.Checked 2026-11-02.
    • New WHO-ITU standard aims to prevent hearing loss among 1.1 billion young people, World Health Organization.Nearly 50% of people aged 12-35 years – or 1.1 billion young people – are at risk of hearing loss due to prolonged and excessive exposure to loud sounds, including music they listen to through personal audio devices.Checked 2026-11-02.
    • Make Listening Safe, World Health Organization.More than 1 billion young people (12–35 years old) are at risk of hearing loss due to recreational exposure to loud sound.Checked 2026-11-02.
    • WHO releases new standard to tackle rising threat of hearing loss, World Health Organization.(1) a maximum average sound level of 100 decibelsChecked 2026-11-02.
    • Deafness and hearing loss (fact sheet), World Health Organization.Over 1 billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices.Checked 2026-11-02.
  6. Noise-induced hearing loss is preventable but, once the inner-ear hair cells die, permanent: human hair cells do not grow back. Sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to cause hearing loss even after long exposure; long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA can. Animal research (Kujawa & Liberman 2009) showed that even noise causing only a temporary threshold shift can destroy nerve connections in the cochlea ('hidden hearing loss').
    • Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, NIDCD / National Institutes of Health.Sounds at or below 70 A-weighted decibels (dBA), even after long exposure, are unlikely to cause hearing loss. However, long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss.Unlike bird and amphibian hair cells, human hair cells don’t grow back. They are gone for good.Regardless of how it might affect you, one thing is certain: noise-induced hearing loss is something you can prevent.at least 10 million adults (6 percent) in the U.S. under age 70—and perhaps as many as 40 million adults (24 percent)—have features of their hearing test that suggest hearing loss in one or both ears from exposure to loud noise.Researchers have also estimated that as many as 17 percent of teens (ages 12 to 19) have features of their hearing test suggestive of NIHL in one or both earsChecked 2026-11-02.
    • Evaluation of smartphone sound measurement applications (apps) using external microphones - A follow-up study (Kardous & Shaw, J Acoust Soc Am 2016), Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (via PMC).Occupational noise-induced hearing loss is preventable; however, once acquired, it is permanent and irreversibleChecked 2026-11-02.
    • Adding insult to injury: cochlear nerve degeneration after "temporary" noise-induced hearing loss (Kujawa & Liberman, J Neurosci 2009), Journal of Neuroscience (via PMC).acoustic overexposures causing moderate, but completely reversible, threshold elevation leave cochlear sensory cells intact, but cause acute loss of afferent nerve terminals and delayed degeneration of the cochlear nerve.This primary neurodegeneration should add to difficulties hearing in noisy environments, and could contribute to tinnitus, hyperacusis, and other perceptual anomalies commonly associated with inner ear damage.Checked 2026-11-02.

General information, not medical advice. For any concern about your hearing or a child’s, see an audiologist or doctor.