80 decibels
How Loud Is 80 dB?
80 dB is about as loud as a garbage disposal or an alarm clock 60 cm away. It is under NIOSH’s 85 dBA eight-hour workplace limit, but ASHA says more than 8 hours at 80 dBA can lead to hearing loss. WHO safe-listening guidance allows adults about 40 hours a week at 80 dBA through personal audio.
Sounds around 80 dB
| dB | Sound | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 77 | Passenger car at 105 km/h (65 mph), 7.6 m (25 ft) away | Purdue |
| 80 | Garbage disposal | Purdue |
| 80 | Alarm clock 60 cm (2 ft) away | WHO |
| 80 | Average factory floor | Purdue |
| 80 | Freight train 15 m (50 ft) away | Purdue |
| 84 | Diesel truck at 64 km/h (40 mph), 15 m (50 ft) away | Purdue |
| 85 | Heavy city traffic (inside the car) | WHO |
| 88 | Food blender | Purdue |
Typical published values; real levels depend on distance and the exact machine. Sources also differ for the same appliance: ASHA lists a dishwasher at about 60 dBA, while Purdue’s table groups dishwashers with 80 dB sounds, so we use ASHA’s 60 on the decibel chart.
Is 80 dB safe?
80 dB is loud, and long exposure can matter. ASHA says sounds at 80 dBA can lead to hearing loss if you listen to them for more than 8 hours at a time, and Purdue’s table lists possible damage after 8 hours at 80 dB. The workplace limit NIOSH recommends is 85 dBA for 8 hours, and its allowed time doubles for every 3 dB quieter:
| dBA | NIOSH time per day (8 h × 2(85−L)/3) |
|---|---|
| 85 | 8 ÷ 2(85−85)/3 = 8 hours |
| 82 | 8 ÷ 2(82−85)/3 = 16 hours |
| 80 | 8 ÷ 2(80−85)/3 = about 25 hours |
| 79 | 8 ÷ 2(79−85)/3 = 32 hours |
So on the NIOSH formula 80 dBA works out to about 25 hours a day. That formula is a workplace limit, not a guarantee: the ASHA and Purdue guidance above treats 8 hours or more at 80 dB as a possible risk, so take breaks from long exposure. For personal listening (headphones and earbuds), the WHO–ITU safe-listening standard allows adults about 40 hours a week at 80 dBA; for children the reference level is lower (75 dBA).
dBA vs this meter: Safety limits are in dBA (A-weighted). This meter shows an unweighted estimate, so use it as a rough guide only, not to check workplace compliance.
80 vs 70 vs 90 dB
Each 10 dB step is ten times the sound intensity and sounds about twice as loud. So 80 dB sounds about twice as loud as 70 dB (a vacuum cleaner), and 90 dB (a motorcycle 7.6 m away) sounds about twice as loud again — at 90 dBA NIOSH’s safe time drops to about 2.5 hours a day. See the full decibel chart and how the decibel scale works.
Measure 80 dB yourself
Open the free online decibel meter, tap Start and allow the microphone. Hold the phone where your ears would be and let the reading settle for 30 seconds; the Avg (Leq) box gives the session average. Phone readings are an uncalibrated, unweighted estimate and can be off by several dB, so treat “about 80” as a range rather than an exact number.
For exposure times at louder levels, see safe decibel levels.
Sources
- Purdue University: Noise Sources and Their Effects
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: Safe Listening infographic (2022)
- WHO: Hearing loss due to recreational exposure to loud sounds, a review (2015), table of common sound levels
- CDC / NIOSH: Noise and Hearing Loss (recommended exposure limit, 85 dBA / 8 h, 3 dB exchange rate)
- WHO–ITU: Safe listening devices and systems (H.870 standard)
Frequently asked questions
Is 80 dB loud for a neighbour or at night?
Yes. 80 dB is as loud as a garbage disposal, far above typical night-time guidance: the WHO recommends road-traffic noise outside homes stays below 45 dB at night. Local noise rules and quiet hours vary by city, so check your council or local authority.
Is 80 dB bad for headphones?
Not if you keep the time in check. The WHO–ITU safe-listening standard allows adults about 40 hours a week at 80 dBA through headphones or earbuds. Louder listening uses up that allowance much faster, so use your phone’s headphone-level or volume-limit setting.
How far away does 80 dB drop to 74 dB?
From a small source in open space, doubling your distance lowers the level by about 6 dB. So a sound measuring 80 dB at 1 metre is about 74 dB at 2 metres and about 68 dB at 4 metres. Indoors, reflections make the drop smaller.
Can a phone measure 80 dB accurately?
Roughly. A phone or browser meter can show you are in the 80 dB range, but uncalibrated readings can be off by several decibels, and they are unweighted rather than dBA. Calibrate against a certified meter for a closer reading.