Make Listening Safe

Millions of teenagers and young adults are at risk of developing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices such as smartphones and MP3 players and exposure to damaging levels of at noisy entertainment venues including nightclubs, discotheques, bars, pubs and sporting events. The emerging pattern of listening regularly at high volume and for a long duration poses a serious threat to one’s hearing. Hearing is a precious faculty, which impacts educational, professional and social development.

Noise-induced can be prevented

The permissible time for safe listening decreases as sound

LESS THAN 1 SEC

hr Permissible levels increase. This graphic min daily noise explains the permissible sec daily noise exposures at exposures different (dB) levels.

130 125 It shows examples of various 120 levels of sound produced 115 by different objects, 110 highlighting the maximum 105 safe listening duration in 100 hours, minutes and seconds 95 for each dB level. The daily

90 recommended safe volume level of any sound is below 85 85 dB for a maximum 80 duration of eight hours. 75

sec 70 min 65 E hr 60 IM T NG NI UNLIMITED TE SAFE LIS

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UNLIMITED What can you do to make listening safe? Keep the volume down • Move away from loud . At a noisy venue, stay as far away as possible from Volume can be reduced when listening to sound sources such as . personal audio devices. It is advisable to: Moving to quieter locations within venues • Respect safe listening levels. Determine can reduce the level of exposure. the safe listening level on a personal • Limit the daily use of personal audio devices. audio device by setting the volume to a While it is important to keep the volume comfortable level in a quiet environment to down, limiting the use of personal audio no more than 60% of maximum volume. devices to less than one hour a day would • Wear . When frequenting nightclubs, do much to reduce noise exposure. discotheques, bars, pubs, sporting events and other noisy places, use earplugs as Monitor safe listening levels hearing protection. Well-inserted earplugs can help to reduce the level of exposure to Use smartphone technology to measure noise noise considerably. exposure levels and inform yourself about the risk for noise-induced hearing loss from your • Use carefully fitted, and if possible, noise- personal audio device. Applications or “apps” cancelling earphones/. If accessible through the smartphones can help suited to the individual user, earphones and by displaying noise intensity levels in headphones allow to be heard clearly and indicating whether exposure to a particular at lower levels of volume. Noise-cancelling level of sound is risky. Know your product, its earphones and headphones cut down safety features and its safe listening level. background noise, so that you can hear sounds at lower volumes than otherwise Heed the warning signs of hearing loss needed. Seek help from a hearing health care Limit time spent engaged in noisy professional in case of or difficulty in hearing high-pitched sounds such as doorbells, activities telephones or alarm clocks; understanding The duration of the exposure to noise is one speech, especially over the telephone; or of the key factors contributing to overall sound following conversations in noisy environments, energy levels. There are ways to minimize the such as in restaurants or venues for other social duration. It is advisable to: gatherings. • Have short listening breaks. When going to nightclubs, discotheques, bars, pubs, Get regular hearing check-ups sporting events and other noisy places, take Take advantage of the services offered by short listening breaks to help reduce the schools, workplaces and communities for overall duration of noise exposure. periodic hearing check-ups, as such screening can help to identify the onset of hearing loss at an early stage.

Make Listening Safe. Once you lose your hearing, it won’t come back!

Department for Management of NCDs, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention (NVI)

World Health Organization 20 Avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland Tel +41-22-791-2064 www.who.int/pbd/deafness/activities/MLS