Hand dryer noise levels

General noise safety
Written By The Noise Chap

If you have ever used a hand dryer in a toilet and thought ‘that sounds loud’ then you are correct.

Key points: Hand dryer noise

  • Noise levels are usually high, in some cases extremely so, exceeding 100 dB(A).

  • Some of them are loud enough to receive an entire day’s safe noise dose in as little as five minutes of cumulative use in a day.

  • That is still longer than someone would ever actually use one for though.

Back in the 80s and 90s, toilet hand-dryers were anaemic things which gently puffed tepid air at you with all the enthusiasm of an asthmatic 80 year old smoker, but that changed to mini tornado machines we mostly have now.

I pull this information together only for interest rather than because it is a noise risk at work. While the noise levels of these toilet hand dryers are high, the exposure duration is so short in any one day that the noise is not going to be a problem.

Make / model dB(A) average dB(C) peak
ATC Puma High Speed92110
ATC (model unspecified)99119
Air Fury97125
AnyDry87103
Dyson Airblade96124
Dyson Air Blade105128
Gorillo Ultra8297
Heatstore Tornado97122
MaxBlast103122
Mitsubishi Air Towel90122
Plain, unbranded102118
Warner Howard EL110093122
XL Air Suprema88103

Noise levels are dB(A) average levels and dB(C) peak noise levels measured in normal use.

Noise levels will vary, even between the same make and model, depending on the health of that particular unit, or even how a person moves their hands under it.

For the noise nerds, these are measured using a Pulsar Model 45 noise meter.

More noise safety information

Advice for managing noise safety risks
Hand dryer noise levels
Hand dryer noise levels

If you have ever used a hand dryer in a toilet and thought that it sounds very loud then you are likely correct. These are some noise levels from various hand dryers.

Read more →
What is a ‘Buy Quiet’ policy?
What is a ‘Buy Quiet’ policy?

The Noise Regs say that employers should choose tools or equipment which have the lowest noise levels, and the HSE expand on this by saying employers should have a Buy Quiet purchasing policy, but what does this mean?

Read more →
Noise safety training requirements following a noise assessment
Noise safety training requirements following a noise assessment

A noise assessment will measure your noise risk levels, and anyone who has a noise exposure of 80 dB(A) or 135 dB(C) or more has to be included in a noise safety training programme. The HSE are very specific on what the noise safety training provided by employer should include.

Read more →
Stereo or music noise in the workplace
Stereo or music noise in the workplace

Stereos at work can be important for employees, but when can you have stereos and when should they not be permitted, and how loud should stereos be at work?

Read more →
Are noise-sensing illuminated signs any use for noise safety?
Are noise-sensing illuminated signs any use for noise safety?

The short answer is no, illuminated noise safety signs are not useful, and in many cases simply mislead. They have no part in a noise assessment. The article explains more about why this is the case.

Read more →
Driving for work and noise exposures
Driving for work and noise exposures

One of the grey areas of noise safety is noise exposure while driving for work. By drivers I mean anyone driving as part of their job so the obvious ones like van or HGV drivers, but also driving around in a car or van - managers on site visits, sales reps, any person driving between sites or to customer sites, etc.

Read more →
Noise levels in an office
Noise levels in an office

A common question which comes up on noise assessments is what classes a dangerous noise in an office environment, with people asking what the safe levels are for noise in offices. The issue is often more about distracting noise rather than dangerous noise.

Read more →
Risks to pregnant women and unborn babies from high noise
Risks to pregnant women and unborn babies from high noise

A client recently asked me if pregnant women are OK to work in an environment with a noise level which is considered ‘high’, so over 85 dB(A), or whether the noise can cause risk to either the pregnancy or foetus. That was an interesting one so I looked into it further.

Read more →

Article last updated May 2026

The Noise Chap

Website and blog articles written by Adam, The Noise Chap - an independent occupational noise assessor with over 30 years of experience, holding the IoA Certificate of Competence in Workplace Noise Assessment, the NEBOSH Diploma, certified in screening audiometry and a member of the British Society of Audiology.

https://www.thenoisechap.com/about-the-noise-chap
Next

Standards for hearing protection at work - EN 352 and its revisions