Noise over 140 decibels causes pain. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to provide hearing protection for employees whose work environment measures at 90 decibels. Some toys, however, make much more noise than that. One toy cell phone tested at 112.6 decibels at the Georgetown University Medical Center. Both were tested at closer range than the Consumer Product Safety Commission's recommended 10-inch limit.
Children often hold toys very close to their ears, experts warn.
If a toy that's held to an adult's ear hurts, it's too loud for children. Children's toy phones like this one can easily exceed 100 decibels U.S. PIRG, which released its annual report on toy safety last week, notes that noise level is just one of the many issues parents must grapple with when shopping for potential additions to their children's toy collections. A toy industry spokeswoman said toys are produced within current guidelines, and suggested that parents keep a close ear on the toys with which their children play. Yes, parents do have a responsibility to protect their children, U.S. PIRG's Weintraub said. But that's not enough.