hn

COUN

Ree

Nors &

. Typical Overall Sound Levels
in Decibels on the Sound Pressure Scale*

140 Threshold of pain
330

in

Hydraulic press 3) 4

Large pneumatic riveter (4°)
Preumatic chipper (5)

Rock aad rolt band

Overhead jet aircraft, 4-engine (S00)

Boiler shop (maximum level) &y- LA

120

Jet engine test control room
110
Unmutied motoreycle 1089 Construction noise {compressors
ipping and hammers} 110"
Chipping Rammer Woodworking shop

Annealing furnace ($} Loud power mamer
Subway train (207)
Heavy trucks (20
Train whistles (500)

Inside subway car
Food blender
90
10-hp outboard 60) .
Smait trucks accelerating GO}

Inside sedan in city tratfic

Heavy traffic (25° to 50
* 80 Office with tabulating machines

Light trucks in city (2014
Autos (20)
Dishwashers
Conversational speech G')

70
Average traffic (100)
Accounting office

6

50 Private business office
light traffic (100)
Average residence

40

30

20
w
0

Broadcasting studio (music

*Q0002 microbareezero decibel level.
t Meautemene, in parentheses Indicate distance trom the sound source.

Levene.

oo RSE srenee:

Courroe

wW

S

%, MPH, Cincinven

ithe workplace, out
and in the hons-
2 examples of thi.
y¥ environment, ani
wund levels in deci.
R sound-Jevel meter
2002 microbari, =
“e worker-listenet
+ in decibels on th
weighted ina mun
sereeption of soum!
vels of noise na {
& A-network show
response to nei
4 to annoyance and,
rating schoines3*
ted industries, as a
‘intense Ievels thin
waunity or hone.
et Tovels ef indus
tide daily continu.
‘xposure which cin
Tt on the jeb, In
ificant: community
sually intermittent |
currence. Nonothe- {
© conmetmnity and +
amparable in soaw
1 in noisier work
Uf enthusiasts ont
e Right path of a
cricnee. the suv |
ed for the noisiest
nent (Table),

t Auration of acct

NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS—CONEN ET AL J

615

A Weighted Sound Levels of Some Noises Found in Different Environments

Overat Levct, cbA
{00 0.0002 microdary tndustiet & Mibtary
430 Armored Personnet

tatrier (123 ob)
Uncemfortatily loud
120 Onynen torch (123 db}
Scraper lovder (127 ¢b)
Compactor (116 ab)
Riveling mactune

(110 ab)

Teatite loom (106 ab)

ue

100 Very loud

Electric turnace area
(100 ab)

Fares Wactur (98 av)

Newspaper press.
97 ad)

Cock

Sommuynity or Ouidoor Rome or tadoor

Rock.n-10f bang
(108-514 ayy

Jet flyover, 1,000 ft
(203 0b)
Poser mower (96 ab)
Compressor, 26 tt
(94 ab)
Rock dell, 100 (1 (92 ab}

Inside tubdsay car,
35 mph (95 ad)

Sock ot—tent arcroft
{90 ab)

prop airceatt
(88 ab)
Sadting machine (85 dy
Cotton spinning (83 gb)
80 Lthe (at ab)
Moderately loud

70

SO Quiet

40

30 Very quiet
zo

* :

10 Just sudidte
Thresnotd of hearing

© —(,600-4,000 Hz)

Food bienger (88 ap)
Cordage 0390321 (80 dd)
att tiyover, Chthes washer (78 gb)
1,000 tt (83 co)
Gresel trucn, £0 mph,

Living room murie
$0 11 (84 eb)

(76 db)
Dishwasher (75 eb}
Passencer car, 65 mph, TV-~audio (70 db}

29 127 ob)

Near freeway, auto

Gathe (64 db)
Air 1g Unt,

20 (60 au)
Lorge transformer,

200 11(53 ub)
Ught trathe, 100 tt

{50 ct)

(60 do)

* Uniess otherwise specified, inted sound levels are

pational noise exposures are sufficient to
rause losses in hearing sensi ity has been
Hlested to by numerous industrial noise and
hearing surveys, some of which will be re-
Niewod below.87942 Noise conditions found
in the community or home, becatwe of their
wnerally lower Jovels and intermittent na-
ture, do not pose the same hazard, Yet, it is
tentended that exposure to the AgsreRate of
setses which characterize living in a modern
svinty—nuises fram mass transportation,
arrays of howchold appliances, pawer tools,
bobbics, and recreational Purstits can cause
seme degree of hearing change aside from
Uutt associated with the work envi 13

et typical from sauree.

ing loss and pose difficult problems in
fining “normal” hearing,

Findings From PHS Noise
and Hearing Surveys

de

The rennindcr of this paper reviews
findings from select noise and hearing sur-
vey's undertaken by the Public Health Ser-
vice (PHS) in ceriain eccupations and work
environments®415 Three surveys are first
summarized to exemplify steady-state noise
exposures of a variable, constant, and inter-
mittent nature and theit apparcat effects on
hearing, These surveys were conducted by

Such a loss is termed “sociocusis,” which js
to be differentiated from hearing chanyes duc
purely to advancing age or preshycusis.}¢
Scciocusis and prsbycusis greatly complicate
inlgments of industrial noise-induced hear.

quests usually d by sicpicions of
apparent industrial noise hazards to hear-
ing. Information ebtained in the course of
these studies included characterization of
the noise contlitions at ihe workplace, relee
vant aural and job histories of workers,

Arch Environ Health—Vol 20, Moy 1970

alin