On the decibel scale, a soft whisper is about 30 dB and a refrigerator hum about 40 dB (CDC), normal conversation is about 60–70 dBA, a lawn mower or power tool 85–90 dBA, a concert or headphones at full volume 94–110 dBA, sirens 110–129 dBA and a fireworks show 140–160 dBA. NIOSH recommends no more than 85 dBA over an 8-hour day, and the safe time halves for every 3 dBA more: about 1 hour at 94 dBA and 15 minutes at 100 dBA.
Decibel levels of common sounds
| Level | Sound and source | Safe per day (NIOSH) | Permissible (OSHA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60–70 dBA | Normal conversation NIDCD (NIH) | no limit | no limit |
| 74–104 dBA | Movie theater NIDCD (NIH) | 5 min 57 s at 104 dBA | 1 h 9 min at 104 dBA |
| 80–110 dBA | Motorcycles and dirt bikes NIDCD (NIH) | 1 min 29 s at 110 dBA | 30 min at 110 dBA |
| 85 dBA | A level where you often have to raise your voice to be heard by someone 3 feet away NIOSH (CDC) | 8 h | 16 h |
| 85–90 dBA | Printing presses, lawn mowers, vacuums and power tools NIOSH (CDC) | 2 h 31 min at 90 dBA | 8 h at 90 dBA |
| 94–110 dBA | Music through headphones at maximum volume, sporting events and concerts NIDCD (NIH) | 1 min 29 s at 110 dBA | 30 min at 110 dBA |
| 95 dBA | Bulldozers, ambulance sirens, chain saws, bars and nightclubs, large sporting events (95 dBA or more; you likely need to shout at 3 feet) NIOSH (CDC) | 47 min | 4 h |
| 110–129 dBA | Sirens NIDCD (NIH) | 1 s at 129 dBA | 2 min 9 s at 129 dBA |
| 140–160 dBA | Fireworks show NIDCD (NIH) | less than 1 s at 160 dBA | 2 s at 160 dBA |
Examples: NIDCD, "Noise-Induced Hearing Loss" (NIH), and NIOSH, "Noise and Hearing Loss" (CDC). Times: NIOSH limit of 85 dBA for 8 hours with a 3 dBA exchange rate; OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 (90 dBA for 8 hours, 5 dBA exchange rate). Neither rule counts levels below 80 dBA. Real sounds vary with distance and the source, so measure your own with the decibel meter.
What the levels mean for your hearing
- NIDCD: sounds at or below 70 dBA, even after long exposure, are unlikely to cause hearing loss.
- NIDCD: long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss.
- NIDCD's "How Loud Is Too Loud?" guidance says 14 minutes at 100 dBA, or 2 minutes at 110 dBA, can damage your hearing.
- OSHA limits impulsive or impact noise, such as a hammer blow, to 140 dB peak at work.
Safe time at each decibel level
| Level | NIOSH recommended | OSHA permissible |
|---|---|---|
| 60 dBA | no limit | no limit |
| 70 dBA | no limit | no limit |
| 75 dBA | no limit | no limit |
| 80 dBA | over 24 h | over 24 h |
| 85 dBA | 8 h | 16 h |
| 88 dBA | 4 h | 10 h 33 min |
| 90 dBA | 2 h 31 min | 8 h |
| 94 dBA | 1 h | 4 h 36 min |
| 95 dBA | 47 min | 4 h |
| 100 dBA | 15 min | 2 h |
| 105 dBA | 4 min 43 s | 1 h |
| 110 dBA | 1 min 29 s | 30 min |
| 115 dBA | 28 s | 15 min |
| 120 dBA | 9 s | 7 min 30 s |
To combine several levels in one day, use the noise exposure calculator.
Each level in detail
20 to 50 dB · 60 or 70 dB · 75 dB · 80 dB · 85 dB · 90 dB · 100 dB · 110 dB · 120 dB · 150 dB
Why is 3 dB such a big deal?
The decibel scale is logarithmic. Every 3 dB is double the sound energy, and every 10 dB is ten times the energy. So 88 dBA carries twice the energy of 85 dBA, which is why NIOSH halves the safe time for every 3 dBA. Read more in what is a decibel.
Quieter sounds: 0 to 60 dB
Current US health agency pages start at normal conversation. CDC's National Center for Environmental Health used to publish quieter examples on its page "What Noises Cause Hearing Loss?" (last reviewed 8 November 2022). That page has since been withdrawn; the figures below come from an Internet Archive copy of it.
| Level | Sound (CDC) |
|---|---|
| 0 dB | Softest sound that can be heard |
| 10 dB | Normal breathing |
| 20 dB | Ticking watch |
| 30 dB | Soft whisper |
| 40 dB | Refrigerator hum |
| 60 dB | Normal conversation, air conditioner |
CDC's table says sounds at these levels typically don't cause any hearing damage. It lists nothing at 50 dB; see how loud 20 to 50 decibels is. Measure your own room with the decibel meter and read the L90.
dB or dBA?
All the levels here are A-weighted (dBA), which matches how human hearing responds and is the scale used for hearing limits. A sound with a lot of deep bass can read much higher in dBC than in dBA.
Common questions
How loud is 85 decibels?
85 dBA is about where NIOSH says you often have to raise your voice to be heard by someone 3 feet away, the level of lawn mowers and power tools. It is the NIOSH limit for 8 hours a day.
How loud is 100 decibels?
Around the level of music through headphones at maximum volume, concerts and sporting events (94–110 dBA). NIOSH allows only 15 minutes a day at 100 dBA; NIDCD says 14 minutes at 100 dBA can damage hearing.
How loud is 60 decibels?
About normal conversation, which NIDCD lists at 60–70 dBA. It is far below the level that harms hearing.
How many decibels is too loud?
NIOSH recommends no more than 85 dBA averaged over 8 hours, and less time at higher levels. Sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to cause hearing loss, according to NIDCD.
How loud is a siren?
NIDCD lists sirens at 110–129 dBA. NIOSH allows about 1.5 minutes a day at 110 dBA.
Last reviewed 14 November 2026 by Sri Murugan Systems. Found a mistake? Tell us.