HEARING TEST (AUDIOMETRIC TESTING)

Our CAOHC certified technician provides services in our facility or yours and provides customized testing, tailored to your organization’s needs.

MONITOR AND PROTECT EMPLOYEE'S HEARING

Audiometric testing is most commonly used in safety-sensitive industries when an employee is exposed to loud noises in which hearing loss or impairment could occur. According to OSHA’s hearing conservation program, employers must monitor noise exposure levels for those exposed to noise at or above 85 decibels (dB) averaged over 8 working hours, or an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). It is imperative that employers with employees in such working conditions monitor their hearing over time to ensure their safety and implement an audiometric testing program in the workplace. When establishing and maintaining an audiometric testing program, employers must include baseline audiograms, annual audiograms, training, and follow-up procedures.

BASELINE AUDIOGRAMS

A baseline audiogram is used in reference to compare future audiograms and must be completed within six months of the employee’s initial exposure at or above an 8-hour TWA of 85 dB. Exceptions are made when an employee chooses to use a mobile test van for audiograms, which must be completed within one year after an employee's first exposure to workplace noise at or above a TWA of 85 dB.

ANNUAL AUDIOGRAMS

Annual audiograms must be provided within one year of the baseline audiogram and maintained on a yearly basis thereafter. This test is to determine whether the employee has had any loss or impairment of hearing from the baseline audiogram. It is vital to ensure the timeliness of this test to detect any hearing impairment or a standard threshold shift (STS) as soon as possible. An STS is an average shift of 10 dB or more at 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 hertz in either ear.

TRAINING

Employee training is imperative to encourage the use of hearing protection and audiogram testing to protect their hearing. Employees exposed to TWAs of 85 dB and above must be trained on an annual basis and cover:

Purpose of protectors
Advantages and disadvantages of the distinct types of hearing protectors
Selection, fit, and care of protectors
Purpose and procedures of audiometric testing

FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES

Follow-up procedures must include the fitting or refitting of an employee showing an STS with adequate hearing protectors and demonstration and require the employee to use them. If an employee’s test results show an STS, the employer is required to notify that employee within 21 days. Depending on the results, some employees may require additional testing to ensure that the problem is not caused or aggravated by wearing the hearing protectors. If the medical problem is not related to the hearing protectors, then the employee may be asked to consult a physician.

WHEN IS AN EMPLOYEE REQUIRED TO WEAR PROTECTORS?

Employers must provide hearing protectors to employees exposed to 8-hour TWA noise levels of 85 dB or above and ensure access to hearing protectors before they experience any hearing loss. According to OSHA, employees must wear hearing protectors under the following conditions:

For any period exceeding 6 months from the time, they are first exposed to 8-hour TWA noise levels of 85 dB or above until they receive their baseline audiograms if these tests are delayed due to mobile test van scheduling.
If they have incurred standard threshold shifts that demonstrate they are susceptible to noise; and
If they are exposed to noise over the permissible exposure limit of 90 dB over an 8-hour TWA.

Does your facility have a Hearing Conservation Program (HCP)

An employer should protect employees who are exposed to excessive noise from the adverse health effects of noise. Every place of work shall implement a comprehensive Hearing Conservation Program (HCP), to prevent ONRHD (Occupational Noise Related Hearing Disorder) among its employees over their entire working lifetimes.

Noise Risk Assessment
Noise Reduction Measures
Audiometric Testing
Information, instruction, and training
Record keeping

Hearing Conservation Program (HCP)

An employer shall protect employees who are exposed to excessive noise from the adverse health effects of noise.

Every place of work shall implement a comprehensive Hearing Conservation Program (HCP), to prevent ONRHD (Occupational Noise Related Hearing Disorder) among its employees over their entire working lifetimes.

An effective HCP can eliminate or minimize noise hazard and prevent ONRHD. Full commitment by the management and active involvement by the workers are critical for the success of the HCP.

An employer shall appoint a HCA to assist the employer to manage, make decisions, correct deficiencies and enforce necessary actions in implementing the HCP, which includes but not limited to, policies, procedures, noise risk assessment, audiometric testing, training, noise controls, record keeping and program reviews.

The HCP shall be reviewed once a year to ensure its effectiveness.

Objective of Hearing Conservation Program

The objective of the HCP is to minimize the risk associated with excessive noise exposure and to prevent ONRHD by:

Identifying the noise hazard and evaluating the risk involved.
Implementing noise reduction measures, such as engineering control and administrative control.
Providing suitable PHP (Personal Hearing Protectors) and ensuring the proper use of the PHP by people exposed to excessive noise.
Training and educating people involved in the HCP to raise their awareness of noise hazard.
Conducting audiometric testing for detecting ONRHD.
Keeping records of the measures taken to protect employees from noise hazard; and
Evaluating the HCP to determine its effectiveness and identifying areas for improvements.

Components in Hearing Conservation Program

There are five (5) components in HCP that comprise of:

Noise risk assessment.
Noise reduction measures: Noise reduction measures to be implemented at the place of work are based on the results of noise risk assessment and shall include:-
Engineering control.
Administrative control.
Personal hearing protectors (PHP)
Audiometric testing.
Information, instruction, and training;
Record Keeping