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Key Takeaways
Not for an ordinary classroom, which averages around 72 dB(A), below the 80 dB(A) action value. DT workshops, music rooms and some PE halls can pass 80–85 dB(A), where the law steps in.
Typically 85–90 dB(A) in a PE hall and 85–95 dB(A) in a DT workshop or music room in full use, against 60–75 dB(A) in a classroom.
Yes. Schools are employers, so they must assess noise and offer hearing protection at 80 dB(A), then make sure it is worn and mark hearing protection zones at 85 dB(A).
For supervising machine work, yes, but take them out to teach the whole class, because a passive plug turns pupils’ voices down too. A loud warning stays audible because it is loud.
HSE suggests SNR 20 or less for 85–90 dB(A) and SNR 20–30 for 90–95 dB(A). An SNR 24 plug suits a 90–95 dB(A) workshop but can over-protect in a quieter PE hall.
Usually not. Workshop plugs cut high frequencies more than low ones, so music sounds duller. HSE’s Sound Advice guidance and the school’s assessment should decide.
Most teachers do not need earplugs for teachers in an ordinary lesson, but some do need them in a DT workshop, a music room or a loud PE hall, where noise can cross the UK’s legal action levels.
On teacher forums, earplugs come up for particular moments (assembly, lunch duty, a free period spent marking) rather than all day. The worry people raise most is missing something a pupil says.
At Bollsen, we make reusable silicone earplugs trusted by 1,000,000+ people, German-tested and independently certified at 24 dB. Our hub on earplugs for work covers noise levels, UK law and protector choice across every kind of workplace, schools included.
Do teachers need earplugs at all?
In an ordinary classroom, usually not: a Danish study of 35 teachers measured an average of 72 dB(A) across lessons, below the 80 dB(A) lower exposure action value, so earplugs in a normal lesson are a comfort choice rather than a legal requirement.
That study, by Kristiansen and colleagues in 2014, found general classroom noise posed no risk of noise-induced hearing impairment. It did find teachers using a raised voice 61% of the time and reporting vocal and mental tiredness, with indoor sports lessons about 6.6 dB(A) louder than the rest.
Hoarseness that lasts for weeks, ringing after the school day or hearing that seems to be changing are worth raising with a GP, and the NHS guidance on hearing loss explains when to book. For the pupils’ side, see our article on classroom noise and children’s focus.
How loud do schools actually get, room by room?
School noise typically runs from 60–75 dB(A) in a classroom up to 85–95 dB(A) in a music room or DT workshop with machines running, with the dining hall and PE hall in between.
These are typical ranges, and your employer’s noise risk assessment is what counts. Having to shout to be heard 2 m away usually means roughly 85 dB(A).
| Setting | Typical level | Band under the 2005 Regulations (daily exposure) | HSE SNR guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary classroom | 60–75 dB(A) | Below 80 dB(A): no legal duty | Not required; comfort only |
| Dining hall at lunch | 80–85 dB(A) | Lower action value (80 dB(A)): assess, inform, provide protection on request | On request; short duties keep the daily average lower |
| PE or sports hall | 85–90 dB(A) | Upper action value (85 dB(A)): protection provided and used | SNR 20 or less |
| Music room or DT workshop | 85–95 dB(A) | Upper action value; 87 dB(A) limit applies at the ear | SNR 20 or less at 85–90; SNR 20–30 at 90–95 |
The bands apply to daily exposure, not one loud minute. Our guide on how loud are power tools (decibel chart) lists bandsaw, drill and sander levels at the operator’s ear.
Does the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 apply to schools?
Yes, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 apply to schools, because a school, academy trust or local authority is an employer with the same 80, 85 and 87 dB(A) duties to its staff as any other workplace.
Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, daily exposure at 80 dB(A) means the employer must assess the risk, give information and training, and provide hearing protection on request. At 85 dB(A) it must provide protection and make sure it is used, and the 87 dB(A) limit applies at the ear, after protection. For sudden peaks, the lower and upper action values are 135 and 137 dB(C), and the limit is 140 dB(C).
Schools are employers too, so the employer hearing protection duties that apply on a building site also apply in a DT department. Above 85 dB(A), the HSE’s summary of the noise regulations also requires health surveillance for regularly exposed staff, usually through workplace hearing tests (audiometry).
Time counts as much as level. Eight hours at 80 dB(A) is the same dose as 2 hours at 86 dB(A) or 15 minutes at 95 dB(A), so one 90-minute double at around 90 dB(A) comes to roughly 83 dB(A) for the day by itself.
Which teachers are most exposed: DT, music or PE?
Design and technology teachers usually face the highest sustained noise, followed by music and PE staff, because bandsaws and pillar drills, amplified rehearsals or a packed sports hall can each push a lesson into the 85–95 dB(A) range.
DT workshops
Once machines push exposure above 85 dB(A), the workshop should be a hearing protection zone, with signs at the door and protection worn by everyone inside, teachers included. Our guide to hearing protection zones and signage explains where the boundary sits. For the machines themselves, our article on earplugs for power tools and woodworking matches each machine to its protection.
Music rooms
A passive workshop plug cuts high frequencies more than low ones, so instruments sound duller and judging tone gets harder. HSE’s Sound Advice guidance (HSG260) includes a chapter on music education, and the school’s assessment should decide whether music staff need flatter, music-specific protection.
PE halls
Hard walls and a whole class shouting over the whistle make sports halls loud. A busy hall typically sits at 85–90 dB(A), where HSE suggests SNR 20 or less.
What SNR does a teacher need, and where does WorkPRO fit?
HSE suggests matching the plug to the noise, with SNR 20 or less for 85–90 dB(A), SNR 20–30 for 90–95 dB(A), SNR 25–35 for 95–100 dB(A) and SNR 30+ above that, aiming for a level at the ear below 85 dB(A) but not under 70 dB(A).
That 70 dB(A) floor is HSE’s guidance on choosing hearing protection warning against over-protection. Block too much and people feel cut off, pull the plugs out and end up with nothing.
Our WorkPRO earplugs are passive, reusable hypoallergenic silicone plugs rated SNR 24 dB (H 24, M 21, L 19) and tested to EN 352-2. Attenuation rises with frequency, so they are not a flat filter, and they are not noise cancelling or electronic. SNR 24 sits in the 90–95 dB(A) band, which fits a busy DT workshop.
In an 85–90 dB(A) PE hall, SNR 24 is more than HSE suggests and can over-protect. Used there, they belong in for the loudest stretches, like a tournament, and out once the hall settles.
For DT machine lessons, our WorkPRO earplugs (SNR 24 dB, £29.95) are low-profile enough to wear under ear defenders.
Can you wear earplugs while you teach?
You can wear earplugs while supervising machine work, but take them out to teach the whole class, because a 24 dB passive plug turns every sound down, pupils’ voices included.
So yes, you will hear less of the room. A pupil right beside you or a shout across the workshop still gets through because it is close or loud, and a fire alarm stays audible because it is loud, not because a filter passes it through.
An in and out routine keeps you part of the room: plugs in when the machines start, out for demonstrations and questions, back in for the next run. Our guide to wearing earplugs all day at work covers comfort across a long day, and earplug hygiene at work matters when plugs go in and out several times a lesson.
What about the staff room, planning periods and whole-school orders?
Outside the noisy rooms there is no legal duty, so earplugs in a staff room or during a planning period are purely a comfort choice, and a quieter free period of marking can help you reset before the afternoon.
Shared-desk habits carry over to a staff room, and our guide to earplugs for the office covers etiquette and when to take them out for colleagues. For planning periods, some teachers prefer our Life+ earplugs for teachers, made for everyday noise rather than workshop machines.
When a whole department needs protection, schools can order WorkPRO for school staff (bulk orders), so every DT and music teacher working above 85 dB(A) has a pair.
What is the simplest earplug plan for a teacher?
Start with the room, not the job title. A classroom stays under 80 dB(A); a DT workshop or music room can pass 85 dB(A). Your school’s noise assessment says which side you are on, so ask to see it.
If you teach machine lessons, keep a pair to hand and use the in and out routine. WorkPRO comes with our 40-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it in your own workshop risk-free.
His connection to hearing protection stems from personal experience with sound sensitivity during live events and work in noisy environments, an issue that made him more aware of the long-term risks of unmanaged noise exposure. Today, as both a communicator and a user of BOLLSEN products, he is passionate about raising awareness around the importance of proactive hearing care.
At BOLLSEN, he develops data-driven marketing campaigns, writes SEO-focused articles, and manages communication channels that connect customers with practical knowledge about hearing protection. His work ensures that BOLLSEN’s message—prioritizing health, performance, and sustainability reaches a global audience in an engaging and trustworthy way.
Passionate about writing since childhood, Timotej combines creativity with a strong analytical approach, continuously testing new ideas in digital marketing, performance advertising, and social media. He believes in learning through innovation and collaboration, balancing leadership with openness to new perspectives.
Beyond his professional role, Timotej is committed to a healthy lifestyle and finds inspiration in fitness, sports, and quality time with friends. His personal passion for well-being aligns with BOLLSEN’s core values, making his work not only a career but also a cause he deeply believes in.