Level and time share the same budget.
Move the slider to see how a constant A-weighted level changes the NIOSH daily occupational exposure estimate.
How does level change the daily estimate?
NIOSH uses an occupational reference of 85 dBA for 8 hours. Each 3 dB increase halves the estimated duration.
Educational occupational estimate only. It is not an individual guarantee of safety and does not account for every sound or exposure pattern.
Model: 85 dBA = 8 hours, with a 3 dB exchange rate. Assumes a constant level.
The 3 dB exchange rate
The model starts at 85 dBA for 8 hours. Every 3 dB increase doubles sound energy and halves the estimated duration: 88 dBA for 4 hours, 91 dBA for 2 hours and 94 dBA for 1 hour.
An occupational estimate, not a promise
NIOSH REL is designed for workplace exposure. Individual susceptibility varies, and impulse sounds, changing levels and non-work listening need more context than this single-level estimate provides.
Your input matters
Phone measurements depend on the microphone, processing and calibration. dBcheck is not a certified Class 1 or Class 2 instrument, so do not use an unverified reading for regulatory decisions.