Thursday, June 28, 2007

What is considered too loud?

It can be surprising to find out how loud some everyday activities can be. Check out this great poster:
Noise Thermometer Poster
(be sure to zoom in for details)

Remember that possible ear damage begins to occur at 85 decibels (dB). If you are going to exposure your ears to sound levels above this level, use hearing protection: foam earplugs, high-fidelity earplugs or earmuffs.
Some factors to keep in mind when trying to determine safe and unsafe sound levels:
1. How close you are to the source of the sound
The closer you are to the source (ex. speaker), the louder and possibly more harmful the sound.
2. Duration (time) you are exposed to the sound The recommended exposure time depends on the decibel level. Check out this helpful chart:

Source: House Ear Institute (http://earbud.org/nihl.html)

Feel free to message me with questions!

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