Hearing Tests for Occupational Health: Workplace Hearing Conservation Programs

When employees work in loud and noisy environments, they can be exposed to hearing damage due to noise-induced hearing loss. It is important and essential for workplaces to provide hearing conservation programs and assessments, under the legal act of Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, to maximize occupational health.

Performing hearing risk assessments will ensure that employees will experience a reduced risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Furthermore, your workplace should take precautionary measures to ensure that workers and helped with maximizing their health in the workplace. Here, you can understand how your workplace can offer your employees hearing tests for occupational health and why they are important.

Why Offer Hearing Tests?

Seeing as noise and loud environments are one of the top reasons that a worker’s health can decline in the workplace, it makes sense for your company to step in and take action to prevent these issues. Offering hearing tests is a way to ensure that they are protecting you and coworkers, health and well-being. Employees might not think to look after their hearing when they are working in loud environments. Therefore, it is an opportunity for your workplace to step in and take good care of you

How About a Workplace Hearing Conservation Program?

As well as a standard hearing test, it is a wise idea to offer workplace hearing conservation program options so that your health could be maximized, and your hearing can be well managed and monitored while being surrounded by loud sounds. The Occupational Safety and Health Organization require workplaces to pursue preventative measures so that employees can remain as risk-free as possible, and their health can be well-maintained.

It is required that workplaces offer a free of charge audiometric testing session for each worker so that their hearing can be monitored and managed. This program should be offered to employees within their first six months of employment so that they can be managed from the moment they join the company, and the workplace can ensure that there is minimal damage to their worker’s hearing while they are working under their business. Talk with a hearing health professional if you work in a noisy environment and needs your hearing tested.

What is Involved in the Workplace Hearing Conservation Program?

This hearing conservation program will feel similar to a regular hearing test. However, there will be more frequencies involved. It is important for an employee’s hearing to be tested under the concept that they are exposed to loud and high-pitched sounds which can impact your hearing gradually, meaning you will not notice that their hearing is declining.

The program will test ambient sounds as well as how pitch sounds to ensure the employee can hear them. If they cannot, it means that their hearing is being hindered and further measures can be taken. Talk with a hearing health professional, if you notice your hearing is not where it used to be, and what is the next steps to take.

The workplace should also offer preventative measures such as ear equipment so that when your workplace is loud there will be minimal damage to your hearing.