OSHA 10 Hour Construction Program Practice Test

A noise level of 95 dB is how many times louder than the level at which hearing protection is required?

1. Five times louder

2. Ten times louder

3. Fifteen times louder

4. Twenty times louder

The correct answer is: Ten times louder

A noise level of 95 dB is considered significantly louder than the threshold level that necessitates the use of hearing protection, which is set at 85 dB. The relationship between decibels and perceived loudness is logarithmic rather than linear. This means that for every increase of about 10 dB, the perceived loudness approximately doubles. In practical terms, moving from 85 dB to 95 dB represents a 10 dB increase, signifying a doubling of the perceived loudness. So, the level of 95 dB is about twice as loud as 85 dB. When this kind of assessment continues—85 dB to 95 dB doubling perceived loudness once—four iterations from 85 dB onward (at 95 dB) indicate a tenfold increase in loudness (2, 4, 8, 16). Thus, a noise level of 95 dB is ten times louder than the baseline level at 85 dB, reinforcing the critical importance of utilizing hearing protection in environments where noise can reach or exceed this threshold to prevent hearing loss.