Top Ten Noisiest Jobs

Unless you’re a librarian, you probably encounter some kind of noise at your job. But clearly, some jobs are louder than others. What are the loudest occupations out there and how loud are they?

Here’s a breakdown of some of the loudest professions.

10. Nursery School Teacher

Whether you have kids or have just been around them, you probably know that kids can be loud. Young children often haven’t learned to regulate their voices yet, so putting 20 or 30 of them in a room together can be rough on the ears.

A typical nursery school worker encounters a decibel level of about 85 dB each day. Given that a normal conversation is about 60 dB, you can see how this is one of the noisiest occupations. It’s far from the worst, but prolonged exposure to any high levels of sound for an extended period of time can be damaging.

9. Motorcycle Courier

Most people want to cover their ears when they hear a motorcycle drive by, so imagine having to listen to one all day because you’re riding on it. While many motorcycle riders may be accustomed to the sound, the smart ones wear earplugs, as this job produces a sound level of 90 decibels — about the same as a lawnmower.

8. Classical Musician

While many people go to attend classical music performances for pleasure, they’re usually seated in the perfect place to enjoy the music safely. The performers, on the other hand, are right in the center of the music, subjecting themselves to 95 dB, which is getting significantly above the outer limit of hearing safety of 85 db.

7. Farm Worker

When we think of farm workers we often think of open plains, blue skies and nature. But we don’t always think of the loud machinery that farm workers have to listen to every day, which can produce noise of around 105 decibels.

6. Rock Star

If you look at the statistics, you’ll probably see that a significant number of rock music performers have suffered at least some form of hearing loss. If you’ve ever been to a rock concert, you know why, as sound levels typically get up to a potentially hazardous level of around 110 or 120 decibels.

5. Nightclub Worker

Ever tried to have a conversation in a nightclub? Pretty tough with all that noise, right? Imagine how hard that noise is on the employees, who have to put up with sound levels as high as 115 decibels nightly.

4. Construction Workers

Many of us would probably put this job at number one. Between jackhammers, bulldozers and other construction equipment, these poor workers are constantly subjected to noise levels of around 120 decibels.

3. Racecar Driver

It may not surprise you to learn that race car engines are extremely loud. Race car drivers, sitting on top of them, have to be very careful about their hearing, as this is one of the noisiest professions of all, with decibel levels of around 135 dB for drivers to contend with.

2. Military Personnel

If you’ve ever been to a gun range, you’ll notice that the shooters wear ear protection. Unfortunately, this is not always possible for all military personnel, who can be in the vicinity of weapons whose sound when firing can be in the extremely hazardous 140-decibel range.

1. Airport Ground Crew

Leading the way in the loudest jobs area is airport ground crew. Think about how loud a motorcycle engine or race car engine is, and then realize that an airplane engine is many times its size. Being surrounded by large planes all day means being pelted with 140 decibels of sound on a regular basis.

The hazards of being regularly subjected to high sound levels cannot be overestimated. People can suffer tinnitus — or ringing in the ears — plus insomnia, depression, headaches and, of course, hearing loss.

If you’re engaged in one of the loudest professions, it’s important to take steps to protect your hearing. To learn more about noise issues and how to handle them, contact Soundproof Cow today.