Decibel chart
How loud everyday sounds are, from a whisper to a gunshot, and how long you can listen to each level before it starts to harm your hearing.
The decibel scale
Tap a sound for its own page- Safe · under 65 dB
- Caution · 65–85 dB
- Risk · over 85 dB
| Level | Sounds like | Examples | Safe per day (NIOSH) | OSHA limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 dB Safe | Breathing | Normal breathing · Rustling leaves far away | No limit | – |
| 20 dB Safe | Rustling leaves | Rustling leaves · A ticking watch close by · A quiet recording studio | No limit | – |
| 30 dB Safe | Whisper | A soft whisper at 1–2 m · A quiet bedroom at night · A quiet rural area | No limit | – |
| 40 dB Safe | Library | A library · A quiet residential street at night · A quiet office with no one talking | No limit | – |
| 50 dB Safe | Quiet office | Moderate rainfall · A quiet office · A refrigerator in the same room | No limit | – |
| 55 dB Safe | Coffee maker | A coffee maker · A dishwasher in the next room · A quiet suburban street by day | No limit | – |
| 60 dB Safe | Conversation | A normal conversation at 1 m · Background music in a café · An air conditioner a few metres away | No limit | – |
| 65 dB Caution | Busy office | A busy open-plan office · Loud laughter nearby · A busy restaurant at lunchtime | No limit | – |
| 70 dB Caution | Vacuum cleaner | A vacuum cleaner · A washing machine on spin · Freeway traffic at 15 m | No limit | – |
| 75 dB Caution | Vacuum | A vacuum cleaner up close · A toilet flushing · A noisy restaurant on a Friday night | No limit | – |
| 80 dB Caution | Alarm clock | An alarm clock at 1 m · A garbage disposal · City traffic from inside a car | No limit | – |
| 85 dB Risk | Heavy traffic | Heavy traffic · A food blender · A noisy restaurant kitchen | 8 h | – |
| 90 dB Risk | Lawn mower | A gas lawn mower · A motorcycle at 8 m · A subway train | 2.5 h | 8 h |
| 95 dB Risk | Motorcycle | A motorcycle · An electric drill · A loud subway platform | 48 min | 4 h |
| 100 dB Risk | Headphones at max | Earbuds at maximum volume · A snowmobile · A jackhammer at 15 m | 15 min | 2 h |
| 105 dB Risk | Stadium | A stadium crowd after a goal · A helicopter at 30 m · A nightclub dance floor | 4.5 min | 1 h |
| 110 dB Risk | Concert | A rock concert near the speakers · A chainsaw · A car horn at 1 m | 1.5 min | 30 min |
| 120 dB Risk | Siren | An ambulance siren up close · A thunderclap overhead · A jet taking off at 300 m | 9 s | 7.5 min |
| 125 dB Risk | Jet engine | A jet taking off at 100 m · An air raid siren · A car stereo competition | 3 s | 4 min |
| 130 dB Risk | Threshold of pain | A jackhammer at 1 m · A military jet at 100 m · A stock car race | 1 s | 2 min |
| 140 dB Risk | Gunshot | A gunshot · Fireworks at close range · A jet engine at 30 m | under 1 s | 28 s |
Levels are typical A-weighted values at the listener’s position; real sounds vary with distance and setting. “No limit” means the level is not considered a risk to hearing, not that it is comfortable. NIOSH: 8 hours at 85 dBA, halved for every 3 dB. OSHA: 8 hours at 90 dBA, halved for every 5 dB.
How to read the decibel scale
The decibel scale is logarithmic. Every 10 dB step is roughly twice as loud to your ear and carries ten times the sound energy. So 80 dB is not a little louder than 70 dB: it sounds about twice as loud and carries ten times the energy. A 3 dB rise doubles the energy, which is why safe listening time halves with every 3 dB above 85.
The colours match the Decibel Meter app. Blue (below 65 dB) is comfortable for any length of time. Orange (65–85 dB) is tiring over long periods but not harmful. Red (85 dB and up) can damage hearing, and the safe time shrinks quickly as the level rises.
Safe noise levels at a glance
- Under 70 dB: safe for any length of time (US EPA, 24-hour average).
- 85 dB: up to 8 hours a day (NIOSH).
- 94 dB: about 1 hour.
- 100 dB: about 15 minutes.
- 110 dB: under 2 minutes.
- 120 dB and up: harm can happen in seconds.
Want to check a real sound? Measure the noise around you and see where it lands on the chart.
For the details, read how loud is too loud.