How loud is 80 decibels?
80 dB is very loud. Short bursts are harmless, but the WHO safe-listening standard allows adults about 40 hours a week at this level, and less for children.
- Sounds like
- An alarm clock or a garbage disposal
- Loudness
- Loud
- Safe per day (NIOSH)
- No limit
- OSHA workplace limit
- Below the limit
80 dB on the decibel scale
Tap another sound to compare- Safe · under 65 dB
- Caution · 65–85 dB
- Risk · over 85 dB
What 80 dB sounds like
- An alarm clock at 1 m
- A garbage disposal
- City traffic from inside a car
- A food processor
Kitchen appliances, a loud alarm clock, heavy city traffic, a loud TV. You have to shout to be heard over it.
Is 80 dB safe?
80 dB does not damage hearing on its own, even over a full day, but long stretches of it are tiring and can raise stress and make it harder to concentrate. Damage starts from about 85 dB.
80 dB compared with other sounds
| Compared with | Difference | Sounds | Sound energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper (30 dB) | +50 dB | 32× as loud | 100,000× more |
| Conversation (60 dB) | +20 dB | 4× as loud | 100× more |
| Heavy traffic (85 dB) | −5 dB | 1.41× quieter | 3.2× less |
| Concert (110 dB) | −30 dB | 8× quieter | 1,000× less |
Rule of thumb: +10 dB sounds about twice as loud and carries ten times the energy. See what is a decibel.
How to check if a sound is 80 dB
Open the free online decibel meter on this site and allow the microphone. Hold your phone or laptop where your ears would be, wait a few seconds, and read the average rather than the momentary number. For a reliable, calibrated reading you can save or show to someone else, use the Decibel Meter app on iPhone.