How loud is a referee's whistle?
A referee's whistle can peak at about 135 dB(C) at the referee's own ear. A study of basketball referees using Fox 40 whistles found a largest corrected peak of 134.7 dB(C).
- Level
- 134.7 dBC peakC-weighted peak sound pressure level
- Daily limit
- Impulse below 140 dB peakimpulse noise
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Largest corrected C-weighted peak from dosimeter measurements on basketball referees using Fox 40 whistles, corrected for microphone and source position relative to the ear.
Whistles produce very high peaks and contribute a large share of a referee's noise exposure, because the whistle is only centimetres from the ear. Researchers corrected dosimeter readings for the positions of the microphone and the whistle and found a largest peak of 134.7 dB(C).
Averaged over a week, the corrected exposure for referees was 80.6 dB(A), just above the lower action value in EU workplace law.
How dangerous is a 134.7 dB peak?
Peaks of 134.7 dB stay under the 140 dB impulse limit, but repeated impulses add to the daily dose and the UK and EU action values start at a 135 dB(C) peak.
| Rule | Peak limit | This sound |
|---|---|---|
| UK and EU lower exposure action value | 135 dB(C) | Below |
| UK and EU upper exposure action value | 137 dB(C) | Below |
| UK and EU exposure limit value; NIOSH and OSHA impulse ceiling | 140 dB | Below |
Protecting your hearing
Referees who officiate several games a week can use flat-attenuation earplugs, which still let them hear players and crowd, and should not blow longer or harder than needed.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Questions
Can a whistle damage your own hearing?
Peaks of up to 134.7 dB(C) were measured at basketball referees' ears; occasional use is fine, but frequent officials add up a significant dose.
How much noise does a referee get over a week?
The corrected weekly exposure for basketball referees was 80.6 dB(A), slightly above the EU lower action value.
Sources
- Assessment of noise exposure for basketball sports referees, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (2016). Supports: 134.7 dB(C) peak.
The corrected largest peak sound pressure level is 134.7 dB(C)
Checked 2026-11-02. - Assessment of noise exposure for basketball sports referees, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (2016). Supports: 80.6 dB(A) weekly.
the corrected weekly noise exposure level for referees is 80.6 dB(A)
Checked 2026-11-02.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.