On-Site Audiometric Testing

Industrial Hearing Tests

Hearing damage is a real and unfortunate effect of long-term exposure to loud noise. Noise is a hazard of industrial workers and workers of any occupation who are repeatedly exposed to loud noise.

Hearing damage from noise is fully preventable when the right precautions are taken from the start. Regular hearing tests to evaluate any early signs of hearing loss, as well as everyday preventative measures such as the use of ear plugs go a long way toward prevention of permanent hearing loss.

Industrial Hearing Test Requirements

Organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have enacted requirements and procedures for hearing conservation in an effort to standardize hearing safety practices and reduce the incidence of preventable hearing damage. Some states also have their own guidelines, as well as the Department of Defense.

In most cases, OSHA requires that employees who are exposed to a time weighted average (TWA) of 85 dB be part of a hearing conservation program which includes hearing testing and employee training. Industrial manufacturers are also required to report evaluation results. Official hearing conservation standards are listed in OSHA CFR 29 1910.95 & MSHA Part 62.

Industrial Hearing Conservation Programs

Some companies choose to meet these requirements independently. However, most companies choose to hire out a hearing conservation company to conduct hearing evaluations, keep records, and make sure they comply with all safety standards and meet safety goals.

Failure to test and/or report noise exposure levels and the impact on employees can cost companies thousands in legal fees and federal fines. Hiring a professional or company to make sure they are in complete compliance is worth it in the long run.

Hearing conservation companies usually have mobile hearing evaluation units that are used to travel and perform on-site hearing evaluation services. They are typically staffed by an audiologist and/or an Occupational Hearing Conservationist (OHC, also known as an Industrial Audiometric Technician).

OHC Technicians are certified by the Council of Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) and are supervised by an audiologist or physician. They are trained to conduct hearing conservation procedures including pure-tone air conduction hearing testing. Their training is very specific to occupational settings only and is not applicable in non-occupational practices.

Education and Referrals

COHC Technicians are trained to detect possible indications of early hearing loss as well as provide training for employees. If a possible hearing problem is detected, the technician will refer the employee for further tests by a hearing specialist.

Basic education and training for employees may include how to properly fit and wear hearing protection devices. Some employees may require more sophisticated and customized hearing protection. Environmental modifications on the part of the employer may also be in order.

Hearing evaluations are an important part of keeping industrial working environments safe for employees. Each company will need to find industrial hearing testing solutions that work for them.

By: Dr. Michael Tigges

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michael-tigges-dc-cme-cohc-496a558b/

On-Site Audiometric Testing, Professionally Trained Staff OSHA Compliant

Let Same Day DOT Physicals Drug & Alcohol Testing bring Audiometric Testing to your location(s) according to your schedule. We offer a professionally trained staff to provide all of the required audiometric testing and reporting for the following:

 Baseline and Annual Audiometric Testing
 Review and interpretation of each test
 Analysis, recommendations, summary report and notifications
 Meets OSHA regulations

Our screening services are federal standard compliant and clinically sound. Health tests are professionally reviewed by our physicians or consulting audiologists, as applicable, giving your employees reliable recommendations.

Our prices are competitive and our testing accurate and reproducible. Why go anywhere else?

Annual Audiograms at Your Facility

Same Day DOT Physicals Drug & Alcohol Testing will come to your facility with our state-of-the-art Microprocessor Audiometers. With no extra on-site setup fee, we can take care of your OSHA-required hearing-conservation training and test 8-10 people at a time every hour.

All tests are conducted using the top-of-the-line Microprocessor Audiometers. Our calibrated sound-level meter assures that ambient noise will not interfere with your hearing tests.

We can even do retests, make-up tests and work-related reviews if needed. We are happy to schedule any shifts you need tested, any time of day.

Audiometric Testing is required by OSHA & MSHA annually to all employees who are exposed to noise levels equal or greater than 85dBA.

Audiometric Testing

The fact is, most companies are noisy work environments. As an employer, you are required to assess your employees’ hearing annually and educate them in hearing conservation. Our team can help you safeguard your employees’ hearing and comply with all OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 regulations.

After setting up our audiometry unit on-site, we will obtain a medical and “noise” history from each employee. At the same time, at your discretion, we will instruct them in hearing conservation techniques as required by law. We will then inspect the ear canals and drums for abnormalities and/or wax obstruction – anything that might decrease their hearing – then perform the 10-minute test. Our audiometer is computer-controlled and exceeds all ANSI S3.6-1989 requirements. Upon completion of all testing, the data is reviewed, adjusted for age (as required), compared against baseline and finalized. All employees with a presumptive STS are identified and reports are returned to your designated representative, usually within 72 hours. Data is provided in PDF form for easy assimilation into your company’s files. In addition, we provide the required employee notification letters at no additional charge, relieving you of that regulatory burden.

Because we are local, repeat testing for those with a presumptive STS can be done in our office at the employee’s convenience. We also understand that your employees’ time off the clock affects your bottom line, that’s why – unlike out-of-state companies who tell YOU when they can do your testing, Same Day DOT Physicals Drug & Alcohol Testing is flexible and can schedule according to your schedule. That means your third-shift employees can be tested on third shift, reducing employee disruption and lessening downtime.

Our service areas include: Tennessee

Our Traditional Industrial Audiometric Testing services include the following:

• On-site Audiometric Testing In-Plant Testing
• 6 – 10 Employees tested per hour
• Microprocessor audiometer Testing
• Employee database tracking capabilities
(name, social security number *, birth date, date of employment)
• Otoscopic (ear) examination on all employees
• Hearing and ear histories on all employees
• Immediate on-site notification letters for all employees, following hearing test procedure
• Brief industrial audiometric testing consultation, following Hearing test procedure
• In-Plant Testing (Passing OSHA noise level requirements)

If you would like to find out more about Audiometric Testing or become a client [ninja_form id=1], please contact us using the link below or give us a call today.