Hearing Loss Risk Calculator
Assess noise-induced hearing loss risk from daily sound exposure.
Compares against OSHA and NIOSH guidelines — returns safe listening time by dB level.
How Hearing Damage Risk Is Calculated
Hearing damage is cumulative and dose-dependent. The NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and OSHA use a time-intensity trade-off: every 3 dB increase (NIOSH) or 5 dB increase (OSHA) halves the safe exposure time.
NIOSH Permissible Exposure Time Formula:
Safe Duration (hours) = 8 / 2^((dB − 85) / 3)
Where 85 dB is the NIOSH action level for an 8-hour day.
Safe Exposure Reference (NIOSH standard):
| Sound Level (dBA) | Safe Exposure Time |
|---|---|
| 85 dB | 8 hours |
| 88 dB | 4 hours |
| 91 dB | 2 hours |
| 94 dB | 1 hour |
| 97 dB | 30 minutes |
| 100 dB | 15 minutes |
| 110 dB | ~2 minutes |
| 120 dB+ | Immediate damage risk |
Worked Example: Concert venue at 105 dB:
- Safe time = 8 / 2^((105−85)/3) = 8 / 2^6.67 = 8 / 101.6 = 4.7 minutes
Real-World Sound Levels:
- Conversation: 60–65 dB
- Heavy traffic: 85 dB
- Lawn mower: 90 dB
- Rock concert: 100–120 dB
- Gunshot: 140–165 dB
Protection Options:
- Foam earplugs: reduce by 25–33 dB (NRR 32 foam plugs)
- Earmuffs: 20–30 dB reduction
- Custom musician plugs: 9–25 dB, flat frequency response (preserves sound quality)
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
SuperGlobalCalculator is independently built and maintained. See how we build and verify our calculators.