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New App Measures Sound Levels
Use this app, developed by the U.S. government, to make sure you're not exposed to excessive noise levels.
February 15, 2017
olm26250 for Getty Images
1 min to read
Are you worried about noise? Quieter blow-dryers are probably keeping your salon well within the recommended range of sound levels, but if you go to a lot of concerts or if noise exposure is a concern for you in general, there’s now an app for that!
Developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the NIOSH SLM app measures noise levels on the spot and is designed to help raise awareness about the dangers of too much noise. The app provides a readout of the sound level in weighted decibels using either the built-in microphone or an external microphone, then stores the data so the user can download it and share with the work team. The app also provides information about noise and hearing loss prevention.
According to NIOSH, about 22 million workers are exposed to excess noise on the job. The Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) for noise is 85 decibels on average over eight hours. Sound above this level for an extended amount of time is considered hazardous to your hearing.
Go to iTunes to install the NIOSH SLM app on your iPhone.
Other noise detection apps for the iPhone include: db Volume Meter; TooLoudPro; and deciBel. For the android, there’s Noise Exposure.
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