Sound idea: Protect your ears from mass transit noise.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Hearing loss is often associated with loud music, but a new study shows your method of transportation may be putting you at a higher risk for ear issues than a summer concert. “Subways, commuter rails, ferries as well as public buses all were at a high enough noise level that for a regular rider, there was some exposure to hearing loss,” says Richard Neitzel, research scientist at the University of Washington. His study was published last week in the American Journal of Public Health.

THE DETAILS: Neitzel’s team studied hundreds of mass transit systems in New York City, finding the high decibels of sound a risk for potential hearing loss. The highest noise level, 102.1 decibels, was detected at a subway platform, closely followed by a bus stop at 101.6 decibels. Subway noise for riders measured 80.4 decibels, Path trains at 79.4, and the tram at 77. Hearing loss can occur at with a substantial exposure of 90 to 95 decibels.

WHAT IT MEANS: The environmental noise may be especially harmful to frequent riders. “For people who are just riding a transit system for a 20 to 30 minutes a day, the levels aren’t high enough to be concerned, but for people who are frequently riding three to four hours a day, there is a likelihood of hearing loss from that noise,” says Neitzel. Frequent exposure to other environmental noises like construction sites, emergency sirens, amplified music, or power tools could also over time cause hearing loss, he says.