How loud is a strimmer?
Landscapers using gas string trimmers averaged 93.0 dBA, against 87.9 dBA for battery trimmers, in a 2025 field study. Two petrol Stihl trimmers measured 98.0 and 101.5 dBA at full throttle near the operator in a study of university groundskeepers.
- Level
- 87.9–101.5 dBAA-weighted sound level
- Daily limit
- 11 min a dayNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 1,660× energyabout 9.3× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Mean task exposures from personal dosimeters on landscapers (battery 87.9 dBA, gas 93.0 dBA); maximum levels at full throttle near the operator for two Stihl petrol trimmers (98.0 and 101.5 dBA).
String trimmers (strimmers or weed eaters) were among the most used tools, with 152 gas trimmer task measurements in the landscaping study. A battery trimmer was about 5 dB quieter on average.
At full throttle, a Stihl FS 90R measured 98.0 dBA and a Stihl FS110 101.5 dBA in the groundskeeper study.
How long is safe?
NIOSH recommends no more than 11 min a day at 101.5 dBA (4 h 6 min at 87.9). OSHA's legal limit is 1 h 37 min.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87.9 dBA | 4 h 6 min | No limit | 1 h 18 min | 4 h 6 min |
| 101.5 dBA | 11 min | 1 h 37 min | 3 min 24 s | 11 min |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
Wear earmuffs or plugs with a petrol strimmer. Keep other workers well apart, since several trimmers working together add up.
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.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Ice hockey game (81–104.1 dBA): this has about 1.6× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Jet coming in to land (87.5–97.8 dBA max): this has about 1.6× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Table saw (86–107.7 dBA): it has about 1.6× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Trumpet (86–108 dBA): it has about 1.7× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 1,660× its energy and sounds about 9.3× as loud.
Questions
How loud is a petrol strimmer?
Gas string trimmers averaged 93.0 dBA in a field study, with full-throttle maximums of 98.0 to 101.5 dBA for two Stihl models.
Are battery strimmers quieter?
Battery trimmers averaged 87.9 dBA against 93.0 dBA for gas trimmers.
Sources
- Hazardous exposures and engineering controls in the landscaping services industry, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (2025), open access via PMC. Supports: dB_low: 87.9 dBA battery; gas 93.0 dBA.
The mean noise exposure of 93.0 dBA for the use of gas string trimmers ( n = 152) was higher ( p < 0.001) than that for a battery string trimmer (87.9 dBA, n = 24).
Checked 2026-11-03. - Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure among Groundskeepers in North Carolina Public Universities, Environmental Health Insights (2016), open access via PMC. Supports: max 98.0 dBA.
Stihl FS 90R 98.0
Checked 2026-11-03. - Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure among Groundskeepers in North Carolina Public Universities, Environmental Health Insights (2016), open access via PMC. Supports: dB_high: max 101.5 dBA.
Stihl FS110 101.5
Checked 2026-11-03.
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.