The 10 Most Ear-Splittingly Noisy Professions: Part One

If you’ve ever been disturbed by office chit-chat, the whirring of the photocopier or the choice of music broadcast over your workplace sound system, look on the bright side — at least your hearing’s not at risk.

Unlike in these incredibly noisy professions, where the background racket could actually be a health hazard… 

10: Teacher

Children may be small, but they tend to go big on noise. It’s understandable, given that they’re still working out how to express themselves. But spare a thought for teachers, who have to cope with as many as 30 excited little ones trying to make themselves heard. Classrooms regularly hit 85 decibels, which can cause hearing damage with prolonged exposure. 

9: Motorcycle Courier

Zipping about town on two wheels might seem like a high-octane profession, but all those engine revs can cause long-term damage to a courier’s ears. Anytime the delivery biker reaches 50 mph, they can be exposed to as many as 90 decibels. Best to stick within the speed limit, guys.

8: Dentist

If you’ve ever suspected that your dentist takes some kind of sick pleasure from all that painful drilling, we’ve got news for you — they probably don’t enjoy it that much. That’s because their instruments’ high-pitched noises can reach levels of up to 90 decibels. 

7: Classical musician

Classical music aficionados may find the sound of an orchestra playing to be pleasing, but its members are subjected to some potentially harmful noise levels. Studies have shown that performances can reach 90-95 decibels, both in concerts and rehearsals. And it’s probably much louder for musicians sat near the brass section — particularly the trombone players, as their instruments are said to reach 114 decibels when played with gusto. 

6: Factory workers

Factory noise control is where it all began for IAC Acoustics Group. And given the continuous rumble made by industrial machinery, it’s not hard to see why it’s such a major part of our business. Workers in factories and industrial plants could be subjected to more than 105 decibels without our solutions, which include acoustic screens and enclosures, industrial absorption panels, noise-proof doors and silencers for air handling systems. 

That’s it for part one! We’ll bring you the top 5 noisiest jobs in the world next week.

At IAC Acoustics, we provide noise control solutions for a number of organisations across a range of industries. Get in touch to find out how we can help your business reduce the impact of potentially damaging noise.