SoundSenseHow loud is 85 decibels?
85 dB is as loud as heavy traffic heard from inside a car, the WHO's example for this level. It is the most important number in hearing safety: the NIDCD says long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss, and NIOSH sets its recommended limit at 85 dBA averaged over 8 hours a day.
How long is 85 dB safe?
| Guideline | Safe time at 85 dB |
|---|---|
| NIOSH (recommended limit) | 8 hours a day |
| WHO safe listening | 12 hours 30 minutes a week |
| OSHA (US workplace law) | 85 dBA over 8 hours triggers a hearing conservation programme |
| EU Directive 2003/10/EC | 85 dB(A) is the upper action value: workers must wear hearing protection |
Above 85 dB the safe time shrinks quickly. By the NIOSH 3 dB rule, 88 dBA is safe for 4 hours a day and 91 dBA for 2 hours. See the full table on safe noise levels.
What else is around 85 dB
- Heavy traffic heard from inside a car (WHO).
- The lower part of the ranges the NIDCD gives for motorcycles and dirt bikes (80–110 dBA) and for movie theatres (74–104 dBA).
- Busy restaurants, gyms with music and workshops can reach it; they vary a lot, so measure rather than guess.
Signs a place is around 85 dB or louder
You may be near or above 85 dB if you have to raise your voice to be understood by someone an arm's length away, if your ears feel full or ring afterwards, or if sounds seem muffled for a while once you leave. These are warning signs, not measurements. A sound meter tells you for sure.
How to protect your hearing at 85 dB and above
- Limit the time. Track the hours; at 85 dBA a full working day is the most NIOSH considers safe.
- Move away from the source. Outdoors, doubling your distance from a single source lowers the level by about 6 dB.
- Wear hearing protection such as foam earplugs or earmuffs for loud work, concerts and power tools.
- Take quiet breaks so the total dose over the day stays down.
Check where you are
Measure for a few minutes where you actually spend the time and read the average (LAeq). In SoundSense you can set your own threshold to 85 dBA: each saved check then shows how long the level stayed above it, alongside the average, minimum and maximum. Phone readings are estimates; for a workplace assessment, use a certified meter or dosimeter.
Sources
- WHO, Deafness and hearing loss: safe listening
- NIDCD, Noise-induced hearing loss, updated 16 April 2025
- NIOSH, Noise and hearing loss and Understanding noise exposure limits
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.95 Occupational noise exposure
- EU, Directive 2003/10/EC on noise at work
Updated by the SoundSense team at Just IT.