Final answer:
Government and health organizations set an exposure limit of 85 dB for 8-hour periods without hearing protection to prevent hearing damage. Amplification for those with hearing loss must be carefully calibrated, with lower-intensity sounds needing less amplification than more intense sounds to prevent further damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
Government agencies and health organizations recommend an exposure limit of 85 dB for 8 hours to prevent hearing loss without protective gear. Beyond this limit, hearing protection should be used to preserve hearing health. The threshold is based on numerous studies which inform occupational and public health guidelines.
In the case of an individual with a hearing loss, such as a person with a 50-dB loss at all frequencies, different levels of amplification are required to make sounds audible, depending on the intensity of the sound input. For lower-intensity sounds, won't need as much amplification to be heard, roughly by factors of 10, whereas more intense sounds should be amplified less to avoid further hearing damage.
A hearing loss of 60 dB near 5000 Hz, as in the example of a child mentioned, would require significantly more amplification for tones at this frequency compared to other frequencies where hearing is normal. Understanding these specifics allows for the development of personalized hearing/noise programs to suit individual needs and prevent further damage.
To illustrate different levels of loudness, running fingers through your hair results in a sound level of about 10 dB, a quiet home without any electronic distractions measures around 50 dB, and the take-off of a jet plane can reach about 100 dB. These examples demonstrate the wide range of sound intensities we encounter and why it's crucial to adhere to sound exposure recommendations.