Recommended noise exposure time

One of the main causes of hyperacusis and / or tinnitus, is to have suffered a damage in the ears due to an acoustic trauma (exposure to extremely high noise). A possible damage to them will depend on three factors:

- The level or intensity of a certain noise (see previous post).

- The way this noise appears: sudden or gradual. (see post that talks about Dynamic Range) and

- The time of exposure to it:

Recommended permissible exposure time for continuous average noise measured in decibels (dB), according to NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health – USA) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – USA), 2002. For every 3 dB over 85 dB, the permissible exposure time before possible damage can occur is cut in half.

Source: Dangerous Decibels webpage (see “related links” in this blog).

Typical Noise Levels (measured in decibels)

Here is a complete decibels guide for anyone who suffers from hyperacusis and/or tinnitus:

Notes:

- As it is shown in the chart above, a noise source can have different decibel levels which will depend on some factors like proximity, size, etc.

- The maximum noise level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is: 65 dB during the day, and 55 dB at night.