Short answer: everyday sounds range from about 30 dB (a whisper) to 120 dB (a siren or a loud concert). Health agencies set limits for how long you can safely be around loud noise: NIOSH recommends no more than 85 dBA averaged over 8 hours, OSHA's legal limit is 90 dBA over 8 hours, and the WHO's global listening-safety guidance suggests adults keep personal audio exposure to around 80 dB for up to 40 hours a week.
Want to check a real sound against these numbers? Use our free online decibel meter in the browser, or the Sound Meter app for session tracking, history and Hearing Risk Insights.
Common Sounds and Their Approximate Decibel Levels
| Sound | Approx. dB |
|---|---|
| Normal breathing | 10 dB |
| Whisper, quiet library | 30 dB |
| Quiet office, refrigerator hum | 40â50 dB |
| Normal conversation | 60 dB |
| Dishwasher, washing machine | 70 dB |
| City traffic, vacuum cleaner | 70â85 dB |
| Power tools, motorcycle | 90â100 dB |
| Nightclub, loud concert | 100â110 dB |
| Siren, sporting event crowd roar | 110â120 dB |
These are typical, approximate ranges for awareness â actual levels vary with distance from the source, the specific device or venue, and the room or outdoor environment.
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Measure ambient noise levels in decibels using your microphone.
Open Online Sound Meter âOccupational Noise Exposure Limits
Two US agencies publish 8-hour exposure limits for workplace noise, and they don't agree with each other:
| Standard | 8-hour limit | Exchange rate | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIOSH REL | 85 dBA | 3 dB | Recommended (health-based, not legally binding) |
| OSHA PEL | 90 dBA | 5 dB | Legally enforceable in US workplaces |
The exchange rate determines how safe exposure time shrinks as noise gets louder. Under NIOSH's 3 dB exchange rate, safe exposure time halves with every 3 dB increase â 88 dBA is only safe for 4 hours, 91 dBA for 2 hours, and so on. Under OSHA's more lenient 5 dB exchange rate, safe time halves every 5 dB instead, so louder noise is tolerated for longer before it's treated as a violation.
WHO Safe Listening Guidance
The World Health Organization's "Make Listening Safe" standard, developed with the ITU for personal audio devices, suggests adults limit exposure to roughly 80 dB for up to 40 hours a week for recreational listening (lower limits apply for children). It's a different context from the occupational NIOSH/OSHA limits above â it's aimed at headphone and earbud use â but the same underlying principle applies: louder sound is safe for less time.
Not Medical Advice
This chart is for general awareness and education. It is not medical advice, and it is not a substitute for an occupational health assessment, audiometric testing, or a calibrated, professional sound level meter where legal or regulatory compliance is required. If you are regularly exposed to loud noise at work or experience ringing in your ears, muffled hearing, or pain after exposure, speak with a qualified health professional.
Related reading: how to measure sound levels with your phone covers accuracy and technique for getting a reading in the first place.
Sources
- NIOSH, "Occupational Noise Exposure" â https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/default.html
- OSHA, "Occupational Noise Exposure â Standards" â https://www.osha.gov/noise/standards
- CDC/NIDCD, "What Noises Cause Hearing Loss?" â https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html
- World Health Organization, "Make Listening Safe" â https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241508513
