Noise Dose
Calculate the occupational noise dose, D = (C ÷ T) × 100%, dividing the effective exposure time C by the maximum allowed time T for the measured noise level and multiplying by 100. The result, in %, shows how much of the maximum daily exposure the worker accumulated: 100% is the tolerance limit (85 dB(A) for 8 hours, with a 5 dB exchange rate in Brazil). Doses above 100% require controls and indicate risk of noise-induced hearing loss. For several levels, the C/T terms are summed. Enter the exposure time and the maximum allowed time.
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Noise dose (NR-15)
The noise dose is the way of measuring exposure that recognizes that hearing damage depends both on the intensity of the noise and on the duration of the exposure. For a steady noise level it is D = (C ÷ T) × 100%, where C is the actual exposure time at that level and T is the maximum permitted time for that level (taken from the table or the formula of NR-15, the Brazilian occupational regulation that sets tolerance limits for unhealthy working conditions). The result, expressed in %, tells how much of the daily noise 'budget' the worker has already spent: 100% matches the tolerance limit exactly (in Brazil, 85 dB(A) for 8 hours, with an exchange rate of q = 5 dB). Above 100% the exposure counts as unhealthy and calls for control measures (engineering controls, work organization or hearing protectors). When a worker goes through several noise levels during the day, the total dose is the sum of the C/T fractions of every level — and if that sum passes 1 (100%), the limit has been exceeded. The dose underpins the risk assessment for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), the most common occupational disease in industry. Enter the exposure time and the maximum permitted time.
Related Tools
Maximum Noise Exposure Time
Calculate the maximum daily allowed noise exposure time, T = 8 ÷ 2^((SPL − 85) ÷ 5), from the sound pressure level SPL (dB(A)). The result, in hours, is the maximum exposure duration before reaching a 100% dose under the Brazilian NR-15 (85 dB(A) limit for 8 h, with a 5 dB dose-doubling rate). Every 5 dB above 85 halves the allowed time: 90 dB(A) allows 4 h, 95 dB(A) only 2 h. It is the basis for dose calculation and the planning of rotation and breaks. Enter the sound pressure level.
Normalized Exposure Level (NEN)
Calculate the 8-hour normalized exposure level (NEN), NEN = NE + 10·log₁₀(t ÷ 480), from the measured exposure level NE (dB(A)) and the actual exposure time t (minutes). The result, in dB(A), converts an exposure of any duration into the equivalent level that would produce the same dose over a standard 8-hour (480 min) shift, allowing direct comparison with the tolerance limit and action level. It is the quantity used by occupational hygiene standards to assess continuous or intermittent noise. Enter the measured level and the exposure time.
Recommended Weight Limit (NIOSH)
Computes the recommended weight limit from the 1991 revised NIOSH lifting equation, RWL = 23 kg × (25 ÷ H, with H floored at 25) × (1 − 0.003 × |V − 75|) × (0.82 + 4.5 ÷ D) × (1 − 0.0032 × A) × FM × CM, where H is the horizontal distance in centimetres between the hands and the midpoint of the ankles, V is the hand height at the start of the lift, D is the vertical travel of the load and A is the asymmetry angle in degrees. The 23 kg is the load constant, the maximum acceptable under ideal conditions — load against the body, at knuckle height, no trunk twist and lifted infrequently — and each multiplier discounts a fraction as the task departs from that condition. FM, the frequency multiplier, and CM, the coupling multiplier, come from the standard's own tables and therefore enter as data rather than calculation: FM depends on lifts per minute, shift duration and height range; CM on grip quality, rated good, fair or poor. Divide the weight actually lifted by the RWL to get the lifting index: above 1 the task already exposes part of the population to low back risk, and above 3 the risk is high for nearly everyone. Both H and D are floored at 25 cm by the standard itself, so below that the multiplier locks at 1 with no warning on screen: typing the distance in metres instead of centimetres passes validation and returns a limit that is too permissive. Enter the horizontal distance, the starting hand height, the vertical travel, the asymmetry angle, the frequency multiplier and the coupling multiplier.
Dilution Ventilation Flow
Calculate the airflow needed to dilute a contaminant, Q = (G × K) ÷ C, from the contaminant generation rate G, a safety/mixing factor K and the allowable limit concentration C. The result, in the consistent flow unit, is the volume of clean air that must be supplied/exhausted to keep the contaminant concentration below the tolerance limit in the breathing zone. General dilution ventilation suits low-toxicity, diffusely generated contaminants; the K factor corrects for imperfect air mixing. Enter the generation rate, the safety factor and the limit concentration.
Vibration Dose Value (VDV)
Calculate the vibration dose value (VDV) for whole-body vibration exposure, VDV = a_w·t^(1/4), from the acceleration a_w and the exposure time t. The result, in m/s^1.75, is a cumulative metric that, by using the fourth power, is more sensitive to peaks and shocks than the RMS average (important in jolting vehicles and machines). It is used by ISO 2631 to assess the spinal risk of forklift, tractor and bus operators. The higher the VDV, the greater the injury risk. Enter the acceleration and the exposure time.
WBGT (Occupational Heat Index)
Calculate the WBGT (wet bulb globe temperature) for indoor environments without solar load, WBGT = 0.7·t_nw + 0.3·t_g, from the natural wet-bulb temperature t_nw and the globe temperature t_g (°C). The result, in °C, is the heat stress index used to assess heat exposure: compared with tolerance limits according to the activity's metabolic rate, it sets the allowed work-rest regime. For environments with solar load, the dry-bulb temperature is also included. Enter the natural wet-bulb and globe temperatures.
The results provided by this tool are for general informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional, financial, medical, legal, tax or accounting advice. Always confirm important decisions with a qualified professional and official sources.