A noise dose calculator adds up a shift the way ears experience it — — percent of daily allowance from each task’s level and duration under OSHA’s 5-dB exchange rate. Protection lives on hearing protection and the NRR calculator derates it honestly.
How does the noise dose calculator score tasks?
Short answer: enter each task’s dBA and minutes; the tool converts to dose percentages and totals the day — 100% equals the PEL, 50% marks the action level where the hearing conservation program begins.
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OSHA limits noise to a 90 dBA average over 8 hours (the PEL) using a 5 dB exchange rate — every 5 dB louder cuts the allowed time in half. Enter a noise level and how long you are exposed to get the permissible time and your noise dose.
OSHA permissible noise exposures (1910.95)
| Sound level (dBA) | Max duration / day |
|---|---|
| 90 | 8 hours (PEL = 100% dose) |
| 95 | 4 hours |
| 100 | 2 hours |
| 105 | 1 hour |
| 110 | 30 minutes |
| 115 | 15 minutes (ceiling) |
At or above the 85 dBA action level (50% dose) you must enroll workers in a hearing conservation program. Size protection with our NRR calculator.
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FAQ
OSHA vs NIOSH limits?
OSHA uses a 90 dBA PEL with a 5 dB exchange rate. NIOSH recommends a more protective 85 dBA REL with a 3 dB exchange rate — under NIOSH, 88 dBA is only allowed for 4 hours.
What is “dose”?
The percentage of your daily allowance used. 100% dose equals an 8-hour TWA of 90 dBA. 50% dose (the action level) equals 85 dBA.
Based on OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 (90 dBA PEL, 5 dB exchange rate). A single steady level is assumed; real shifts combine multiple levels — use a dosimeter for compliance. Not a substitute for noise monitoring.
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Built and reviewed by Steven Eaton, WC Safety. We curate and review industrial PPE against ANSI, NIOSH and OSHA standards.
Our methodology
The calculator applies OSHA’s permissible-duration table and 5-dB exchange rate, with the NIOSH 3-dB comparison noted because the two systems diverge fast above 90 dBA. Authoritative duties live at OSHA regulations and exposure science at NIOSH. We hold no safety certification, and this tool is not a substitute for professional judgment.
Why trust this page
WC Safety is an independent review site with no products of its own — nothing here is stocked, warehoused or shipped by us. Purchase links go to Amazon and earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. This free tool is informational — it supports, and never replaces, a written program, a hazard assessment, or evaluation by a qualified safety professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a noise dose?
The day’s exposure as percent of allowance — 8 hours at 90 dBA is 100% under OSHA. Two loud tasks can spend a day’s dose before lunch.
OSHA vs NIOSH exchange rates?
OSHA halves allowed time per 5 dB; NIOSH per 3 dB — NIOSH is stricter and closer to the hearing-loss physics. Good programs track both.
What happens at 50% dose?
The action level (85 dBA TWA) — hearing conservation program: monitoring, audiograms, training and offered protection.
How loud is 90 dBA in real life?
A circular saw at arm’s length, a tractor at work — conversation at one meter is already a shout. If you shout to be heard, you are in program territory.
Do short loud bursts matter?
115 dBA is allowed 15 minutes per day under OSHA — grinders and chippers spend dose at a rate that surprises everyone who runs the numbers.
Is this a substitute for dosimetry?
No — this screens; a worn dosimeter measures. Programs stand on measurement.
Researched and written by Steven Eaton, editor of WC Safety. Steven holds no safety certification and does not test products; this page compares what manufacturers publish, with the gaps in that record marked. Last reviewed July 2026.