At what decibel level must you wear hearing protection?

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Multiple Choice

At what decibel level must you wear hearing protection?

Loud noise can damage your hearing over time, so protection is required once the sound level becomes high enough to pose a risk during a typical work exposure. In many safety programs, that threshold is 84 decibels or higher. At this level, the amount of sound energy reaching your ears can exceed what your auditory system can safely handle over a shift, so using hearing protection helps keep your actual exposure within safe limits. The protection (earplugs or earmuffs) reduces the sound that reaches the ear, and the amount of reduction depends on the device and proper fit. Levels below this threshold are considered less risky for standard exposures, so protection isn’t mandated by that guideline until you reach 84 dB.

Loud noise can damage your hearing over time, so protection is required once the sound level becomes high enough to pose a risk during a typical work exposure. In many safety programs, that threshold is 84 decibels or higher. At this level, the amount of sound energy reaching your ears can exceed what your auditory system can safely handle over a shift, so using hearing protection helps keep your actual exposure within safe limits. The protection (earplugs or earmuffs) reduces the sound that reaches the ear, and the amount of reduction depends on the device and proper fit. Levels below this threshold are considered less risky for standard exposures, so protection isn’t mandated by that guideline until you reach 84 dB.

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