Sound is measured in decibels (dB). Each decibel is one tenth of a bel, which is a unit that measures the intensity of sound. For every six decibels, the intensity of the sound doubles. At 90 dB of uninterrupted sound, the limit of safe noise exposure is eight hours. For each six dB increase of uninterrupted sound thereafter, the limit of safe exposure is reduced by half.
It is important to know the approximate intensity of sound around you to protect your hearing. Click here to use the Interactive Loudness Scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
A decibel (dB) is a unit used to measure the intensity of sound and is one tenth of a bel. The bel is a larger unit of sound intensity measurement, but the decibel is more commonly used because it provides a more practical scale for everyday sounds.
For every increase of six decibels, the intensity of the sound doubles. This means that a sound at 96 dB is twice as intense as a sound at 90 dB, and this doubling effect continues with further increases in decibels.
At 90 dB of uninterrupted sound, the safe noise exposure limit is eight hours. Listening to sounds at this intensity for longer periods can potentially damage hearing.
For every six decibel increase above 90 dB, the safe exposure time is cut in half. For example, at 96 dB the safe exposure time reduces to four hours, at 102 dB it is two hours, and so on, to protect your hearing from damage.
Knowing the approximate intensity of surrounding sound helps protect your hearing by allowing you to limit your exposure to unsafe noise levels. Using tools like the Interactive Loudness Scale can help you identify potentially harmful noise and take action to reduce your risk of hearing damage.
You can use the Interactive Loudness Scale provided by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. This online tool helps estimate the loudness of different sounds to aid in hearing protection.
