8. Hearing Hearing Loss (dB) Level
Normal 0 to 25 Whisper
Mild loss 26 to 40 Quiet Speech
Moderate 41 to 55 Normal speech
Moderately Severe 56 to 70 Loud speech
Severe 71 to 90 Shouting
Profound 91+ Road drill
27. 27
Other factors in STS determination
• Test error or short term loss
– Retest allowed within 30 days
• Age correction allowed
– Subtracts normal aging loss from threshold shift
Age 30 40 50 60
M 2.3 6.0 11.7 19.0
F 2.0 4.3 7.7 11.7
28.
29.
30. Here are the average decibel ratings of some familiar
sounds:
The humming of a refrigerator : 45 decibels
Normal conversation : 60 decibels
Noise from heavy city traffic: 85 decibels
Motorcyles : 95 decibels
An MP3 player at maximum volume : 105 decibels
Sirens : 120 decibels
Firecrackers and firearms :150 decibels
