Decibels (dB) measure sound intensity on a logarithmic scale, which means a jump from 70 dB to 80 dB isn’t “a bit louder” — it’s roughly twice as loud to the human ear. That’s why a quick glance at a number doesn’t always tell the full story.
Everyday sound levels
- 0–20 dB — Near silence, an anechoic chamber
- 20–40 dB — Whisper, rustling leaves, a quiet library
- 40–60 dB — Normal conversation, quiet office, rainfall
- 60–70 dB — Busy restaurant, television at normal volume
- 70–85 dB — Vacuum cleaner, heavy traffic, loud music
- 85–100 dB — Power tools, motorcycles — the hearing-damage risk zone begins
- 100–120 dB — Concerts, jackhammers, construction sites
- 120–140 dB — Jet engine at close range, threshold of pain
When does noise become harmful?
Hearing damage is a function of both loudness and exposure time. OSHA guidelines permit:
- 8 hours at 85 dB
- 4 hours at 90 dB
- 2 hours at 95 dB
- 1 hour at 100 dB
Every 3 dB increase roughly halves the safe exposure time. That’s why a 100 dB concert for two hours carries the same risk budget as an 85 dB office for a full workday.
Measuring your own environment
Open the decibel meter in your browser, grant microphone access, and watch the live reading. Use dBA weighting for general environments (it approximates human hearing sensitivity) and dBC for bass-heavy or low-frequency sources like machinery or subwoofers.
If you’re consistently seeing readings above 85 dB in a space you spend hours in — an open-plan office near machinery, a workshop, a live-music venue — it’s worth taking action: hearing protection, distance from the source, or raising the issue with whoever manages the space.
The takeaway
A browser-based decibel meter won’t replace a calibrated hardware unit for legal compliance work, but it’s more than accurate enough to answer the question most people actually have: is this environment loud enough to worry about? If the number is consistently above 85 dB, the answer is yes.