Tip Sheet

Tips on Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Usually painless and progressive— if you can’t hear the ambient noises 5 Know the danger signs of hearing and always permanent—acoustic around you, or if people nearby can hear loss. If your ears ring or buzz after being trauma (noise-induced hearing what you’re listening to. exposed to a noise, that sound was loss) is a product of modern life. probably loud enough to cause damage. Being where music is blaring Decibel Chart If noise exposure makes hearing painful, or where large groups of people muffled, blurry or distant for hours or are talking loudly may damage 0 dB . . . . Threshold of hearing days, you are already in trouble. 20-30 . . . Whisper your hearing too—as can driving 40 ...... Quiet conversation 6 Monitor your exposure time. a car at high speeds with the 50-70 . . . Normal conversation Give your ears time to recover. In noisy 70 ...... Vacuum cleaner windows down. And yet this type settings, take regular 15-minute “quiet” of hearing loss is 100-percent 65-90 . . . Train 85 ...... Damage threshold; any noise breaks every hour. preventable. Here are some ways above this level, especially if to protect your hearing in loud exposure lasts an hour or 7 Think. Don’t damage your hearing more, can damage hearing. environments. 85-95 . . . Leaf blowers and power by using a gasoline-powered lawnmower tools; driving at high speeds without ear protection or by running a 1 Know how many decibels you’re with the windows down power saw down in your basement 90 ...... Heavy traffic; gasoline being exposed to. (See chart.) The lawnmower; food blender without earplugs. decibel is a measure of the loudness of 90-100 . . Thunder sound. It’s a logarithmic unit, meaning 100-110 . Subway 8 Carry earplugs with you. If that an increase of 10 decibels (dB) 120-140 . Ambulance siren you’re frequently in loud environments multiplies the loudness by 10 times: 130 . . . . . Pain threshold and you cannot leave, invest in custom- 130 . . . . . Jackhammer, machine gun, 70 dB is 10 times louder than 60 dB. squawk of a cockatoo fitted earplugs or, for maximum 140 . . . . . Exploding firecracker at protection, acoustic earmuffs. If worn 2 Know when loud is too loud. close range (instant and correctly, earplugs are unobtrusive and The Occupational Safety and Health permanent damage) 150 . . . . . Jet aircraft at takeoff can reduce sound levels by between Administration offers guidelines: Sounds 170 . . . . . Shotgun 15 and 35 dB. For occasional exposures, below 75 decibels (dB) are safe, whereas bring along disposable plugs. eight hours at 85 dB can be harmful—as is just 15 minutes at 100 dB. If you have 9 Have your hearing tested once a to raise your voice to be heard over a 4 Avoid using earbuds. They are less year. And if you suspect hearing loss or sound, your hearing may be at risk. efficient than headphones at blocking notice sudden changes in your hearing, out background noise, and so can tempt or have ear pain, see an otolaryngologist 3 Turn down the volume when you to keep turning up the volume. or a licensed audiologist without delay. listening with personal headphones Instead of earbuds, use either the older to a radio or electronic music device. earmuff-type headphones or new You may be damaging your hearing noise-cancelling ones.

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