Decibel Shield
Decibel chart › 115 dB
How loud is 115 decibels?
115 decibels is about as loud as a pneumatic rock drill, a lion roar, an emergency siren. That is at or above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: NIOSH limits safe exposure to about 28 seconds a day, and every 3 dB louder halves that. On the decibel scale, each 10 dB step sounds roughly twice as loud. Measure it yourself with Decibel Shield's free online decibel meter.
Last updated:
| Sound level | 115 dB |
|---|---|
| Hearing risk | Extreme |
| Safe exposure (NIOSH) | About 28 seconds a day |
| Workplace limit (OSHA) | 15 min a day (OSHA noise limits) |
What is comparable to 115 decibels?
Everyday examples of sounds around 115 decibels, each sourced to CDC, NIOSH, NIDCD and ASHA. Open any one for its own breakdown, or see the full decibel levels chart.
- Pneumatic rock drill 115 dB
- Lion roar 114 dB
- Emergency siren 110–129 dB
Is any city as loud as 115 dB?
No city averages 115 dB. That is a sound-source level, not an ambient one. The loudest mapped cities peak around 70–75 dB by day. These are the loudest mapped.
- Orange, CA 4.4% of residents at 70 dBA or more
- Terni 55–75 dB by day
- Hastings 55–75 dB by day
What does 115 decibels sound like?
115 decibels is about as loud as a pneumatic rock drill, a lion roar, an emergency siren. That is at or above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: NIOSH limits safe exposure to about 28 seconds a day, and every 3 dB louder halves that. On the decibel scale, each 10 dB step sounds roughly twice as loud. Measure it yourself with Decibel Shield's free online decibel meter.
Is 115 decibels too loud?
Yes, 115 decibels is loud, about the loudness of a pneumatic rock drill, at or above the 85 dB line, so prolonged exposure can damage hearing and ear protection is recommended.
How long is 115 decibels safe to hear?
At 115 dB, NIOSH puts the safe daily exposure at about 28 seconds a day. Each 3 dB increase halves it.
How far away can you hear 115 dB?
In open air a small source measured at 115 dB from 1 m falls to about 95 dB at 10 m and 75 dB at 100 m, losing 6 dB each time the distance doubles. You keep hearing it while it stays above the background level around you: farther in a quiet field at night, much less on a 60 dB street. Walls, ground and wind change the figure.
Work out any distance, or a line source such as a road, with the sound distance calculator.
Measure 115 dB yourself
Want to know if where you are hits 115 dB? Check it live with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser, and nothing is recorded or uploaded.