The measurements given below must not be taken as definitive since there can be significant variations between different circumstances: for instance traffic noise can vary with the type and speed of vehicles, wear of bearings in industrial tools can alter the noise emission. Nevertheless the figures given are indicative of the approximate sound levels which might be likely in the stated conditions. Unless otherwise stated the measurements were made at 1 m from the noise source.
Source |
dBA |
Notes |
Transport |
||
Jet aircraft |
140 |
At 30 m, take-off |
Jet aircraft, small |
120 |
At 150 m |
Train, freight |
99 |
Wagons at 12 m |
Train, freight |
96 |
Locomotive at 12 m |
Train, high speed |
95 |
At 12 m from track |
Train interior |
75 |
Medium size train at 70 |
m.p.h |
||
Road, medium busy |
80 |
At roadside |
Road, medium busy |
52 |
At 150 m |
Road, medium busy |
49 |
At 300 m |
Motorway |
48 |
3 km distance. Little wind. |
Industrial machinery |
||
Air line |
104 |
1 m from nozzle |
Angle grinder |
105 |
On 4 mm steel |
Automatic saw |
99 |
1 m from saw blade |
Belt sander, joinery |
87 |
On soft wood |
Brazing |
94 |
At operator’s ears |
100 |
||
Guillotine |
85–90 |
At operator’s ears |
Hammer, 2 lb |
120 |
On 6 mm mild steel, on anvil |
Hammer, 1 1⁄2 lb |
116 |
On tinplate on anvil |
Hammer, 2 lb |
116 |
On steel pipe on anvil |
Handgrinder |
98 |
On box steel |
Handgrinder |
110 |
On 9 mm sheet steel |
Induction furnace |
85 |
At 3 m |
Industrial vacuum |
||
cleaner |
94 |
|
Large fan |
112 |
Used in glass annealing |
Lathe |
85 |
|
Milling machine |
80 |
3000 r.p.m |
Polishing wheel |
72 |
On brass |
Power saws |
100–115 |
|
Power presses |
95–110 |
|
Agricultural |
||
Chain saw |
108 |
Fast, off load |
Diesel Rotavator |
97 |
At operator’s ears |
Digger |
87 |
At driver’s ear, PTO speed |
Digger |
93 |
1 m at side of engine |
Dumper truck, 1 tonne |
89 |
Driver’s position, normal speed |
Dumper truck, 1 tonne |
100 |
1 m at rear, normal speed |
Fork Lift Truck |
85 |
Driver’s position, working revs |
88 |
At operator’s ears |
|
Tractors |
80–90 |
Inside cab, medium speed |
Tractors |
70–80 |
Inside cab, engine tickover |
Domestic |
||
Electric drill |
100 |
1⁄2” masonry drill into brick |
Jigsaw, electric |
97 |
Operator’s ears, large area of wood, 30 mm thick |
Loud radio or TV |
70 |
|
Normal speech |
60–65 |
|
Petrol-engined rotary |
||
lawnmower |
90 |
At operator’s ears |
Smoke alarm |
105 |
|
Miscellaneous |
||
Orchestra, fortissimo |
100 |
At 5 m |
Church bells |
72 |
35 m from base of tower |
Sea |
68 |
20 m from breakers, Force 3 off-shore wind |
Rural area at night |
<30 |
No roads in the vicinity |