The Decibel Scale

The common measurement of sound loudness is the decibel and knowing some of the typical sound levels may help your evaluation of acceptable levels of noise in your environment.

Jet Plane Take Off....................150.......(Eardrum Can Rupture at this decibel level)
Thunder/Live Rock Music..........125.......(Human Pain Level)
Chain Saw................................ 115
Power Mower............................100
Busy Urban Street......................90
Noisy Restaurant........................80
Vacuum Cleaner.........................75
Freeway Traffic...........................70
Average Home.............................50
Library..........................................40
Quiet Rural Area..........................30
Purring Cat...................................25
Rustling Leaves...........................20
Whisper........................................15
Breathing......................................10

Many communities are establishing new laws regulating the decibel levels that are produced by a vehicle sound system or by a business into the surrounding environment. Often these levels are also defined not only in sound levels but also in duration and/or time of day or night. Such limitations also affect road construction or building construction. Officials have specific rules to follow when taking readings of decibels produced that usually include a specific distance from the sound source and must be taken by qualified trained individuals with accurate measuring equipment.

We have known for years that listening to loud music can damage the hearing and that this damage is more serious as the length of time the person is exposed to the sounds. People that work in areas with excessive noise must wear protective devices to protect the ear from damage. Hearing ability will decrease naturally as we get older and great advances in hearing aids has certainly made them more useful and affordable to the elderly.

The human ear can hear sounds from as low as 20 cycles per second to about 20,000 cycles per second. As a person gets older the higher frequency ability is lowered. Reduction of exposure to high sound levels throughout life can help and this includes exposure to a rather large range of appliances and machinery that we commonly use such as power saws, mixers, disposal units, compactors etc. It is important to talk to young students about this problem so they do not damage their hearing.