How Long Is It Safe at This Noise Level

The permissible exposure time at every level from 71 to 139 decibels, under both the NIOSH recommended limit and the more permissive OSHA enforceable limit. These are the only genuinely regulatory figures on this site, and the two standards disagree by a wide margin.

69 pages in this section. Published figures from named standards bodies and regulators.

• How Long Is 71 Decibels Safe For At 71 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 203.2 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 111.4 hours. That is about the level of a washing machine.
• How Long Is 72 Decibels Safe For At 72 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 161.3 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 97 hours. That is about the level of a washing machine.
• How Long Is 73 Decibels Safe For At 73 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 128 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 84.4 hours. That is about the level of a vacuum cleaner.
• How Long Is 74 Decibels Safe For At 74 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 101.6 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 73.5 hours. That is about the level of a vacuum cleaner.
• How Long Is 75 Decibels Safe For At 75 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 80.6 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 64 hours. That is about the level of a vacuum cleaner.
• How Long Is 76 Decibels Safe For At 76 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 64 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 55.7 hours. That is about the level of a vacuum cleaner.
• How Long Is 77 Decibels Safe For At 77 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 50.8 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 48.5 hours. That is about the level of a vacuum cleaner.
• How Long Is 78 Decibels Safe For At 78 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 40.3 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 42.2 hours. That is about the level of an alarm clock at half a metre.
• How Long Is 79 Decibels Safe For At 79 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 32 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 36.8 hours. That is about the level of an alarm clock at half a metre.
• How Long Is 80 Decibels Safe For At 80 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 25.4 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 32 hours. That is about the level of an alarm clock at half a metre.
• How Long Is 81 Decibels Safe For At 81 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 20.2 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 27.9 hours. That is about the level of an alarm clock at half a metre.
• How Long Is 82 Decibels Safe For At 82 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 16 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 24.3 hours. That is about the level of an alarm clock at half a metre.
• How Long Is 83 Decibels Safe For At 83 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 12.7 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 21.1 hours. That is about the level of city traffic from the pavement.
• How Long Is 84 Decibels Safe For At 84 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 10.1 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 18.4 hours. That is about the level of city traffic from the pavement.
• How Long Is 85 Decibels Safe For At 85 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 8 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 16 hours. That is about the level of city traffic from the pavement.
• How Long Is 86 Decibels Safe For At 86 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 6.3 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 13.9 hours. That is about the level of city traffic from the pavement.
• How Long Is 87 Decibels Safe For At 87 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 5 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 12.1 hours. That is about the level of city traffic from the pavement.
• How Long Is 88 Decibels Safe For At 88 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 4 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 10.6 hours. That is about the level of a petrol lawnmower.
• How Long Is 89 Decibels Safe For At 89 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 3.2 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 9.2 hours. That is about the level of a petrol lawnmower.
• How Long Is 90 Decibels Safe For At 90 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 2.5 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 8 hours. That is about the level of a petrol lawnmower.
• How Long Is 91 Decibels Safe For At 91 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 2 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 7 hours. That is about the level of a petrol lawnmower.
• How Long Is 92 Decibels Safe For At 92 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1.6 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 6.1 hours. That is about the level of a petrol lawnmower.
• How Long Is 93 Decibels Safe For At 93 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1.3 hours, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 5.3 hours. That is about the level of a subway train passing on the platform.
• How Long Is 94 Decibels Safe For At 94 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1 hour, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 4.6 hours. That is about the level of a subway train passing on the platform.
• How Long Is 95 Decibels Safe For At 95 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 47.6 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 4 hours. That is about the level of a subway train passing on the platform.
• How Long Is 96 Decibels Safe For At 96 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 37.8 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 3.5 hours. That is about the level of a subway train passing on the platform.
• How Long Is 97 Decibels Safe For At 97 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 30 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 3 hours. That is about the level of a hand drill.
• How Long Is 98 Decibels Safe For At 98 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 23.8 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 2.6 hours. That is about the level of a hand drill.
• How Long Is 99 Decibels Safe For At 99 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 18.9 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 2.3 hours. That is about the level of a hand drill.
• How Long Is 100 Decibels Safe For At 100 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 15 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 2 hours. That is about the level of a farm tractor.
• How Long Is 101 Decibels Safe For At 101 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 11.9 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1.7 hours. That is about the level of a farm tractor.
• How Long Is 102 Decibels Safe For At 102 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 9.4 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1.5 hours. That is about the level of a farm tractor.
• How Long Is 103 Decibels Safe For At 103 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 7.5 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1.3 hours. That is about the level of a chainsaw.
• How Long Is 104 Decibels Safe For At 104 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 6 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1.1 hours. That is about the level of a chainsaw.
• How Long Is 105 Decibels Safe For At 105 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 4.7 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1 hour. That is about the level of a chainsaw.
• How Long Is 106 Decibels Safe For At 106 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 3.8 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 52.2 minutes. That is about the level of a chainsaw.
• How Long Is 107 Decibels Safe For At 107 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 3 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 45.5 minutes. That is about the level of a chainsaw.
• How Long Is 108 Decibels Safe For At 108 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 2.4 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 39.6 minutes. That is about the level of a rock concert near the stage.
• How Long Is 109 Decibels Safe For At 109 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1.9 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 34.5 minutes. That is about the level of a rock concert near the stage.
• How Long Is 110 Decibels Safe For At 110 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1.5 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 30 minutes. That is about the level of a rock concert near the stage.
• How Long Is 111 Decibels Safe For At 111 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1.2 minutes, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 26.1 minutes. That is about the level of a rock concert near the stage.
• How Long Is 112 Decibels Safe For At 112 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 56 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 22.7 minutes. That is about the level of a rock concert near the stage.
• How Long Is 113 Decibels Safe For At 113 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 45 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 19.8 minutes. That is about the level of a rock concert near the stage.
• How Long Is 114 Decibels Safe For At 114 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 35 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 17.2 minutes. That is about the level of a rock concert near the stage.
• How Long Is 115 Decibels Safe For At 115 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 28 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 15 minutes. That is about the level of a rock concert near the stage.
• How Long Is 116 Decibels Safe For At 116 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 22 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 13.1 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 117 Decibels Safe For At 117 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 18 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 11.4 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 118 Decibels Safe For At 118 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 14 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 9.9 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 119 Decibels Safe For At 119 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 11 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 8.6 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 120 Decibels Safe For At 120 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 9 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 7.5 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 121 Decibels Safe For At 121 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 7 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 6.5 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 122 Decibels Safe For At 122 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 6 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 5.7 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 123 Decibels Safe For At 123 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 4 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 4.9 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 124 Decibels Safe For At 124 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 4 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 4.3 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 125 Decibels Safe For At 125 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 3 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 3.8 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 126 Decibels Safe For At 126 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 2 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 3.3 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 127 Decibels Safe For At 127 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 2 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 2.8 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 128 Decibels Safe For At 128 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1 second, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 2.5 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 129 Decibels Safe For At 129 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1 second, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 2.2 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 130 Decibels Safe For At 130 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1 second, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1.9 minutes. That is about the level of an emergency vehicle siren at close range.
• How Long Is 131 Decibels Safe For At 131 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1 second, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1.6 minutes. That is about the level of a jet engine at takeoff, twenty-five metres.
• How Long Is 132 Decibels Safe For At 132 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 1 second, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1.4 minutes. That is about the level of a jet engine at takeoff, twenty-five metres.
• How Long Is 133 Decibels Safe For At 133 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 0 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1.2 minutes. That is about the level of a jet engine at takeoff, twenty-five metres.
• How Long Is 134 Decibels Safe For At 134 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 0 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 1.1 minutes. That is about the level of a jet engine at takeoff, twenty-five metres.
• How Long Is 135 Decibels Safe For At 135 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 0 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 56 seconds. That is about the level of a jet engine at takeoff, twenty-five metres.
• How Long Is 136 Decibels Safe For At 136 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 0 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 49 seconds. That is about the level of a jet engine at takeoff, twenty-five metres.
• How Long Is 137 Decibels Safe For At 137 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 0 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 43 seconds. That is about the level of a jet engine at takeoff, twenty-five metres.
• How Long Is 138 Decibels Safe For At 138 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 0 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 37 seconds. That is about the level of a jet engine at takeoff, twenty-five metres.
• How Long Is 139 Decibels Safe For At 139 decibels A-weighted, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit allows 0 seconds, while the OSHA enforceable limit allows 32 seconds. That is about the level of a jet engine at takeoff, twenty-five metres.

Not medical advice, not a hearing test, not a diagnosis. Everything in this section is general information compiled from published standards, regulatory classifications, manufacturer specifications and the consensus of verified owner reviews. The charts explain what a measurement shows. They cannot tell you what your hearing is, and nothing on this site can measure it. Only a licensed audiologist or physician can evaluate hearing. If hearing changed suddenly, affects one ear only, or comes with pain, drainage, dizziness or ringing alongside weakness or numbness, contact a doctor promptly rather than reading a chart.