Every day we are exposed to noise that can contribute to hearing loss. The risk of damaging your hearing increases with the sound intensity, not the loudness of the sound, which is measured in decibels (dB). Examples of everyday activities, and their corresponding decibel levels:
• Normal conversation – 60 dB
• City traffic (from inside car)-80-85 dB
• Listening to music on your smartphone, especially at maximum volume-105–110 dB
• Standing beside/near sirens-120 dB
Noise above 85 dB over a prolonged period may start to damage your hearing. Learn how to protect your hearing health!