Time Allowed
The following table is a combination of data from Neil Bauman, Ph.D and the League for the Hard of Hearing. If you spend more than the recomended time each day exposed to these levels of sound without hearing protection, hearing damage will result
| Decibel Level | Common Sounds | Time per Day |
| 10dBA | Normal breathing | No limit |
| 30dBA | soft whisper | No limit |
| 40dBA | Library, quiet residential area | No limit |
| 50dBA | Rainfal, refrigerator, large office | No limit |
| 60dBA | Normal conversation, sewing machine | No limit |
| 70dBA | TV audio, freeway traffic | No limit |
| 80dBA | Doorbell, ringing telephone | No limit |
| 85dBA | Handsaw, heavy traffic, noisy restaurant | 8 hours |
| 90dBA | Tractor, truck, blender | 3 hours |
| 100dBA | Snowmobile, boom box, factory machinery | 15 min |
| 110dBA | Shouting in ear, baby crying, leafblower, car horn | 1.5 min |
| 115dBA | Rock concert, football game in a loud stadium, iPod on high | 27 seconds |
| 118dBA | Movie theater | 13 seconds |
| 120dBA | Ambulance siren, thunder, chainsaw | 8 seconds |
| 130dBA | Jackhammer, stock car races, noisy squeeze toys | Instant Loss |
| 140dBA | Airplane taking off, bicycle horn | Instant Loss |
| 150dBA | Firecracker, Jet engine taking off | Instant Loss |
| 160dBA | Rifle | Instant Loss |
| 170dBA | Handgun, shotgun | Instant Loss |
| 180dBA | Rocket launching from pad | Instant Loss |