What the Guidance Really Says About Protecting Your Hearing
Noise damage is cumulative and irreversible, and entirely preventable.
Key takeaways
- Workplace lower action level: 80 dB daily average
- Rule of thumb: too loud if you must shout at 2 metres
- Most useful single change: Wear the hearing protection provided at work, consistently.
- Commonest mistake: Removing protection "just for a minute" in a noisy area.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
What it is
Preventing noise-induced hearing damage, which is permanent. It sits within Hearing Health. Below are the published figures, in one place.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Workplace lower action level | 80 dB daily average |
| Rule of thumb | too loud if you must shout at 2 metres |
| Personal audio | the 60:60 guide — 60 per cent volume, 60 minutes |
| Recovery | muffled hearing after loud noise is damage, not fatigue |
What helps
These are the changes with the clearest evidence behind them. Start wherever it is easiest to start.
- Wear the hearing protection provided at work, consistently
- Use earplugs at concerts and when using power tools
- Take breaks from loud environments
What to avoid
What to steer clear of, and why it catches people out.
- Removing protection "just for a minute" in a noisy area
- Assuming you have got used to the noise
- Ignoring tinnitus after a shift or a gig
Where to go next
- Protecting Your Hearing: Common Myths and What Guidelines Say
- Starting Out With Protecting Your Hearing
- Protecting Your Hearing — the reference entry
- Hearing Aids: What the Evidence Actually Says
- Ear Infections: What Published Guidance Supports
When to speak to a doctor
Seek same-day assessment for sudden hearing loss, which is treatable but only within days. See a GP for persistent tinnitus, muffled hearing after noise exposure, or difficulty following conversation, and tell occupational health if it relates to work.
Where this comes from
- Health and Safety Executive — noise at work
- NHS — Hearing loss
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
Spotted something wrong? Report an error on this page. We correct on the page and say what changed.
