British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) sound level recordings at a London Underground station showed public transit trips that peaked at 109 dB, according to an article on BBC.com.
The 109 dB ride—between Liverpool Street and Bethnal Green—was recorded with sound level meters from University College London (UCL), according to the BBC.
Dr Joseph Sollini, a researcher at UCL’s Ear Institute who analyzed the BBC’s findings, called them “concerning” given that they exceeded the 85 dB limit for occupational noise exposure, The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, requiring UK employers to provide hearing protection to prevent hearing loss and/or tinnitus.
Sollini was quoted in the article as saying, “If someone was on a noisy Tube line every day for long journeys, it is perfectly possible this could increase the risk of hearing loss and potentially tinnitus.”
To read the article in its entirety and to view the BBC’s list of the “10 Loudest Underground Journeys in Zones 1 and 2,” please click here.
Source: BBC
