From this website:
http://www.bassharp.com/nihl.htm
Some examples of loud sounds that can cause NIHL are:
· Motorcycle/Hair dryer/Lawn mower/Leaf blower 85-90 dB
· Wood shop/Chainsaw/Firecrackers (small) 100-110 dB
· Rock concerts 110-120 dB
· Ambulance Siren/Jet Engine at Take-Off/Pneumatic Drill 119-140 dB
NIHL = Noise Induced Hearing Loss
SAFE SOUND LEVELS:
T.W.A. Decibel Levels Maximum Exposure
85 dB ------------8 hours
88 dB------------4 hours
91 dB------------2 hours
94 dB------------1 hour
97 dB------------30 minutes
100 dB------------15 minutes
103 dB-------------7½ minutes
106 dB-------------3¾ minutes
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines are stated in terms of the maximum time that you can safely be exposed to different time-weighted averages (TWAs) of sound pressure on a daily basis over a 40-year period.
106dB is very loud.......