Depending on the intensity and time, sounds over 85 decibels (dB) can cause permanent hearing loss. Below are some potentially harmful sounds that staff may encounter:

93 dB, tablesaw
94 dB, lawnmower
118 dB, chainsaw
140+ dB, firearms

How can I tell if I am listening to dangerous noise levels? (from http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/noise/)

• You must raise your voice to be heard.
• You can’t hear someone 3 feet away from you.
• Speech around you sounds muffled or dull after you leave the noisy area.
• You have pain or ringing in your ears (this is called “tinnitus”) after exposure to noise.

Do you and your team wear hearing protection?

Noise thermometer with thresholds. Note how quickly the sound energy doubles because the decibel scale is logarithmic (not linear).

Click on link to download larger version: http://www.hearforever.org/userfiles/file/tools_to_educate/HP202_Howard_Leight_Noise_Thermometer_2011.pdf