What is audiometric testing?
What is audiometric testing?
Audiometric testing monitors an employee’s hearing over a period of time. As part of OSHA requirements, the employer must establish and maintain a audiometric testing program as part of their hearing conservation efforts. Audiometric testing must be made available at no cost to employees who are regularly exposed to sound levels of 85 dB or higher during an 8 hour shift.
Important hearing conservation initiatives include baseline audiograms (conducted during pre-employment testing), annual audiograms, hearing preservation training and necessary followup measures.
Annual audiometric testing, or audiograms, should be evaluated to determine Standard Threshold Shifts, or changes to an employee’s hearing each year.