Listen Up: How Noise Can Harm Your Hearing

The good news is that you don't have to lose yourEffectsNormal breathing, 10 dB - Just audibleQuiet
hearing as you age. The bad news is, you will - unlessoffice, refrigerator, 50 dB - ComfortableVacuum
you limit your exposure to high noise levels. The mostcleaner, hair dryer, inside a car, 70 dB - Intrusive,
preventable cause of hearing loss is the cumulativeinterferes with telephone conversationAverage city
effect of noise. The following suggestions and decibeltraffic, alarm clock, 80 dB - Annoying,
(dB) chart will help you gauge your exposure to noiseintrusive, interferes with conversationElectric razor,
and reduce your risk of hearing loss:* Wear ear plugsmany industrial work places, 85 dB - Level
when operating noisy equipment (i.e. lawn mower,at which hearing damage (8 hours) beginsSubway,
motorboat or power tools).* Set car, home andmotorcycle, lawn mower, 90 dB - Very annoying
portable stereos to below half volume.Average portable cd player set above half volume,
Beware of music levels in exercise classes, concerts95 dB -
and bars.* Look for a product recommended for quietRepeated exposure risks permanent hearing
operation when shopping for a fan, air conditioner orlossChain saw, subway train, garbage truck, 100 dB -
other household appliance.* Don't buy noisy toys. SomeDamage
toy musical instruments emit dangerous sound levels,after 15 minutes exposureInboard motorboat, power
while cap guns and firecrackers, exploding near thesaw, highly amplified rock music,
ear, can damage hearing even if you only hear thempneumatic drill, 110 dB - Regular exposure of 1 minute
once.* Any noise which makes your ears ring, arisks
condition called tinnitus, is too loud.* Protect your ears ifpermanent hearing lossThunderclap (nearby), jet
you hunt or shoot guns. Acoustic trauma - immediate,engine (at take off), very loud
severe and persistent hearing loss - is directly linked tonightclub, 120 dB - Threshold of painShotgun firing,
gunfire.* If your workplace is noisy, ensure that earair-raid siren, 130 dB - May cause acoustic
protectors are provided, and wear them.* Make suretraumaChart Source: Canadian Hearing Society
printers, copiers and other noisy officeFoundationNoise pollution is increasing, with city noise
machines aren't grouped together.* Wear ear plugs atdoubling
rock concerts.* Avoid places where you cannot talkevery decade. However, by limiting the noise that you
comfortably with another person who is three feetand
away.* Wear ear protectors for loud hobbies likeyour children are exposed to, you can help protect
snowmobiling or woodworking.How Loud is Too Loud?yourself,
Use this Decibel Level Chart to Gauge Noiseand them, from future hearing loss.