English
This decibel (dB) table compares some common sounds and shows how they
rank in potential harm to hearing.
SOUND
NOISE LEVEL
(dB)
Whisper
30
Quiet Office
50-60
Vacuum Cleaner,
70
Hair Dryer
Food Blender
85-90
Garbage Truck,
100
Cement Mixer
Power Saw,
110
Drill/Jackhammer
Rock Concert (varies)
110-140
* Chart information from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/education/teachers/pages/common_sounds.aspx
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EFFECT
Very quiet
Comfortable hearing levels
are under 60dB
Intrusive; interferes with
telephone conversations
85 dB is the level at which hearing
damage (8 hrs.) begins
No more than 15 minutes
of unprotected exposure
recommended for sounds between
90-100 dB
Regular exposure to sound over
100 dB of more than 1 minute risks
permanent hearing loss
Threshold of pain begins
around 125 dB
English
".... a typical person can safely listen to an iPod for 4.6 hours per day at 70%
volume."
".... knowing the levels one is listening to music at, and for how long is extremely
important."
From http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/10/19/music-earphones.html
Get the most out of your equipment and enjoy great audio performance even
at safe levels. Our headphones will allow you to hear more details at lower
volume levels than ever before.
Use Responsibly
Do not use headphones when it's unsafe to do so—while operating a vehicle,
crossing streets, or during any activity or in an environment where your full
attention to your surroundings is required.
It's dangerous to drive while wearing headphones, and in many places, illegal
because it decreases your chances of hearing life-saving sounds outside of
your vehicle, such as another car's horn and emergency vehicle sirens. Please
avoid wearing your headphones while driving. Use an FM transmitter to listen to
your mobile media devices instead.
Learn how to establish a safe listening level and review other important safety
guidelines from the Consumer Electronics Association at www.ce.org and the
Deafness Research Foundation at www.drf.org.
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