How loud is a wood chipper?
Landscapers feeding chipper/shredders averaged 96.2 dBA in a 2025 field study, one of only four tasks averaging above 95 dBA. At full throttle a wood chipper measured 105.7 dBA near the operator in a groundskeeper study; NIOSH's blog summary gives chippers 102 to 106 dBA.
- Level
- 96.2–106 dBAA-weighted sound level
- Daily limit
- 3 min 45 s a dayNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 7,244× energyabout 14.5× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Mean task exposure from personal dosimeters for chipper/shredder use (96.2 dBA); maximum levels near the operator at full throttle (105.7 dBA; 102 to 106 dBA in the NIOSH blog summary).
In the groundskeeper study it was the third loudest item measured, after a chainsaw and a backpack blower. The landscaping study recorded 27 chipper tasks, with a mean of 96.2 dBA and a maximum of 105.0 dBA.
How long is safe?
NIOSH recommends no more than 3 min 45 s a day at 106 dBA (36 min at 96.2). OSHA's legal limit is 52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96.2 dBA | 36 min | 3 h 23 min | 12 min | 36 min |
| 106 dBA | 3 min 45 s | 52 min | 1 min 12 s | 3 min 49 s |
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
Earmuffs are needed for chipping; stand to the side of the feed chute and keep bystanders back.
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).
- Headphones at full volume (80–115 dBA): this has about 2.3× its sound energy and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
- Music festival (95.8–101.4 dBA): this has about 1.8× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Nightclub (94–112.4 dBA): it has about 1.6× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Rock concert (99.8–108 dBA): it has about 1.9× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 7,244× its energy and sounds about 14.5× as loud.
Questions
How loud is a wood chipper?
About 96 dBA on average for the operator, with maximum levels around 102 to 106 dBA at full throttle.
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: arithmetic mean 96.2 dBA (n = 27); max 105.0.
Chipper/shredder 27 95.9 1.09 96.2 7.22 68.6 105.0
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: max 105.7 dBA.
The STIHL MS261 chainsaw has the highest maximum SPL measured at full throttle (108.6 dBA), followed by the STIHL BR 600 leaf blower (105.9 dBA) and wood chipper (105.7 dBA).
Checked 2026-11-03. - Grounds for Change: Reducing Noise Exposure in Grounds Management Professionals - Part 1, NIOSH Science Blog, CDC (archived copy). Supports: dB_high: 106 dBA.
Chipper 102-106
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.