Preventing Hearing Loss | Acuity Hearing Center

NIOSH Recommended Exposure limit, 85 Decibels

We can't always control when we have a problem with our ears - particularly if it is a medical problem. We CAN protect our ears from loud noise, which is the leading cause of hearing loss. Awarenss of loud sounds is the first step. Everyday sound such as music, yard equipment, power tools and firearms are common sources of hazardous noise and can damage hearing. The amount of damage depends on both the loudness and the length of exposure.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends limiting 85 deciBel (dB) sounds to a maximum of 8 hours. That's not all that loud! Research has determined that only 8% of people exposued to 85 dB of sound for 8 hours per day will develop hearing loss. This is much lower than the 25% of people who will develop hearing loss under OSHA regulations.

Safe Listening Levels
NIOSH recommends that people limit exposure to half the time as the level of sound increases by 3 dB. That means we should listen to an 88 dB sound for no more than 4 hours and a 91 dB sound for no more than 2 hours.

EXAMPLE SOUND	SOUND LEVEL	SAFE TIME
Beginning of OSHA regulation	85 dB	8 hours
Lawn mower	88 dB	4 hours
Hair dryer	91 dB	2 hours
Power tools	94 dB	1 hour
Motorcycle	97 dB	30 minutes
Snowmobile	100 dB	15 minutes
Leaf blower	115 dB	30 seconds
Rock concert	120 dB	< 8 seconds

PROTECT YOUR HEARING
Acuity Hearing Center has products to help protect your hearing as well. If you are exposed to noise on a frequent basis or need to protect your ears for any reason, we have many custom products that offer the best possible protection against noise or moisture, including:

Custom earplugs
Swim plugs
Musician's earplugs
Custom stage monitors
Custom earphones for personal listening

HEARING LOSS PREVENTION