* Approximately 30 million Americans are affected by hearing loss. 50 million have tinnitus: an early indicator of hearing loss.
* 5.2 million 6-19 year olds have hearing loss directly related to noise exposure. (3rd National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Niskar et al. 2000)
* "... over the last 10 years, the percentage of 2nd graders with hearing loss has increased 2.8 times; hearing loss in 8th graders has increased over 4 times." (Montgomery and Fujukawa 1992)
*
0 The softest sound a person can hear with normal hearing
*
10 normal breathing
*
20 whispering at 5 feet
*
30 soft whisper
*
50 rainfall
*
60 normal conversation
*
110 shouting in ear
*
120 thunder
Home
*
50 refrigerator
*
50 - 60 electric toothbrush
*
50 - 75 washing machine
*
50 - 75 air conditioner
*
50 - 80 electric shaver
*
55 coffee percolator
*
55 - 70 dishwasher
*
60 sewing machine
*
60 - 85 vacuum cleaner
*
60 - 95 hair dryer
*
65 - 80 alarm clock
*
70 TV audio
*
70 - 80 coffee grinder
*
70 - 95 garbage disposal
*
75 - 85 flush toilet
*
80 pop-up toaster
*
80 doorbell
*
80 ringing telephone
*
80 whistling kettle
*
80 - 90 food mixer or processor
*
80 - 90 blender
*
80 - 95 garbage disposal
*
110 baby crying
*
110 squeaky toy held close to the ear
*
135 noisy squeeze toys
Work
*
40 quiet office, library
*
50 large office
*
65 - 95 power lawn mower
*
80 manual machine, tools
*
85 handsaw
*
90 tractor
*
90 - 115 subway
*
95 electric drill
*
100 factory machinery
*
100 woodworking class
*
105 snow blower
*
110 power saw
*
110 leafblower
*
120 chain saw, hammer on nail
*
120 pneumatic drills, heavy machine
*
120 jet plane (at ramp)
*
120 ambulance siren
*
125 chain saw
*
130 jackhammer, power drill
*
130 air raid
*
130 percussion section at symphony
*
140 airplane taking off
*
150 jet engine taking off
*
150 artillery fire at 500 feet
*
180 rocket launching from pad
Recreation
*
40 quiet residential area
*
70 freeway traffic
*
85 heavy traffic, noisy restaurant
*
90 truck, shouted conversation
*
95 - 110 motorcycle
*
100 snowmobile
*
100 school dance, boom box
*
110 disco
*
110 busy video arcade
*
110 symphony concert
*
110 car horn
*
110 -120 rock concert
*
112 personal cassette player on high
*
117 football game (stadium)
*
120 band concert
*
125 auto stereo (factory installed)
*
130 stock car races
*
143 bicycle horn
*
150 firecracker
*
156 capgun
*
157 balloon pop
*
162 fireworks (at 3 feet)
*
163 rifle
*
166 handgun
*
170 shotgun
JUST REFERENCE FOR THE THREAD POSTER.