Long-term safe noise limit may lie below the 85 dB standard

Evidence

How much noise exposure is acceptable? There is some evidence that the levels of noise generated by our normal noisy Western society have some long-term effects, because measurements on the hearing of other cultures show a much lower threshold of hearing at a given age compared with that of Westerners. However, this may be due to other factors as well, for example the level of pollution. But strong evidence exists demonstrating that exposure to noises with amplitudes of greater than 90 dBA can cause permanent hearing damage. This fact is recognized, for example, by UK legislation, which requires that the noise exposure of workers be less than this limit, known as the “second action limit.” This level has been reduced since April 2006 under European legislation to 85 dBA. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 678 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

Category: Factual Claims

Related

• Sound peaks above 130 dB can damage hearing instantly (similarity 0.94)
• Hearing damage begins after long exposure above 85 dB (similarity 0.87)
• Occupational noise limits fail to protect recreational hearing enjoyment (similarity 0.82)
• Noise above 85-90 dBA causes permanent hearing damage (similarity 0.82)
• Chronic 85 dB daily exposure causes hearing loss, while 130 dB risks acute injury (similarity 0.82)
• Halving exposure duration permits a 10 dB increase in safe sound level (similarity 0.82)
• Hearing damage risk halves allowed exposure time for every roughly 10 dB increase (similarity 0.81)
• Eighty million Europeans are exposed to unacceptable noise doses (similarity 0.81)
• Ringing ears indicate damage even below the 85 dB threshold (similarity 0.80)
• Even moderate 70 dB sound causes temporary hearing threshold shift with hours of exposure (similarity 0.80)
• Classical concerts expose audiences to brief noise peaks above workplace safety limits (similarity 0.80)
• Hearing-loss risk threshold should drop from 85 to 75 dB for full protection (similarity 0.80)
• Noise exposure permits trading louder sounds for shorter duration within a fixed dose (similarity 0.79)
• Occupational hearing guidelines allow damage, not prevention of loss. (similarity 0.79)
• Sounds above 100 dBA are tolerable for under half an hour (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Chronic 85 dB daily exposure causes hearing loss, while 130 dB risks acute injury #corroborates (0.95)
• Noise above 85-90 dBA causes permanent hearing damage #qualifies (0.90) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 678
• Sound peaks above 130 dB can damage hearing instantly #corroborates (0.85)