Global nightlife noise-health guidelines

Global Nightlife Noise-Health Guidelines

And why You can take control of your hearing health (more than any guideline can)

If you work in loud environments - DJing, behind the bar, running sound, or working security - you’re covered by occupational noise guidelines from organisations like NIOSH and OSHA. These are designed around an 8-hour workday, with NIOSH recommending a limit of 85 dB LAeq, 8h to prevent long-term hearing changes (NIOSH, 1998). For years, these occupational limits were informally applied to clubbers as well, even though nightlife exposure looks very different from a standard work shift.

As recreational listening has become louder, longer and more immersive, separate guidelines have been developed specifically for the public. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) published its global standard for safe listening in venues, recommending a maximum average sound level of 100 dB LAeq during events (WHO, 2022).

At face value, this sounds reassuring. But there’s a key detail worth understanding.

Under WHO’s own exposure equations, even if a venue keeps sound levels at or below 100 dB, an individual is only considered “within safe exposure” if they spend around 2 hours per month in environments at that loudness.

A recent study of real-world nightclub exposure found that clubbers spend on average 5–6 hours per visit inside loud venues - not per month, but per night out (Schuster-Bruce J et al., 2025). This is several times higher than the assumptions used in guideline calculations.

This doesn’t mean nightlife is unsafe. It simply highlights that the guidelines weren’t designed around the habits of regular music fans, who tend to stay longer, attend more often, and seek a more immersive sound experience.

What this means for you

If you enjoy nightlife regularly, international guidelines will never fully reflect your reality. They’re built for occasional, short-duration exposure - not all-night sets, multiple rooms, or festival weekends.

Lower venue volumes can help in theory, but many people feel that levels well below 100 dB flatten the energy and connection that make dance music what it is.

Wearing earplugs all night is an option, but it isn’t always necessary. Outdoor stages, lower-volume rooms, and warm-up sets often don’t require the same level of protection. And using the wrong earplugs can distort music enough to put people off wearing them altogether.

Ultimately, the safest and most realistic way to look after your hearing - without losing the music you love - is to understand your own exposure and manage it in a way that fits your habits.

That might mean taking short breaks during long nights, stepping back from the speakers, or using hearing protection when required.

Small choices like these reduce the cumulative “dose” your ears take on, while still letting you have fun.

Final thoughts

Nightlife isn’t built around “average exposure,” and neither should your approach to hearing health. Global guidelines are important and well-intentioned, but they don’t reflect how long most people spend on the dance floor.

Understanding your exposure gives you personalised insight that actually fits your lifestyle - helping you keep the dance floor enjoyable and safe for the long run.

References

NIOSH (1998). Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Noise Exposure. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

OSHA (2020). Occupational Noise Exposure Standards.

World Health Organization (2022). WHO Global Standard for Safe Listening Venues and Events. Geneva: WHO.

Schuster-Bruce J, et al (2025) Noise Health

WHO (2015). Make Listening Safe: A WHO Initiative.