Industrial Hearing Screenings
Industrial hearing screenings offer annual hearing evaluations for workers who are regularly exposed to harmful levels of noise in their work environment. At Hearing Evaluation Services(HES), our goal in providing these OSHA-mandated screenings is to determine whether occupational noise exposure is having a detrimental effect on an employee’s hearing ability over time.
An initial evaluation establishes the employee’s baseline hearing levels, and continued annual testing documents and determines if a shift in hearing is occurring. The results of an industrial hearing screening may indicate the need for a complete hearing evaluation, or development of a comprehensive Hearing Conservation Program in the workplace. Visit Hearing Conservation Program, to learn more about HES’s hearing conservation services.
Individuals who work in noise are the most susceptible to developing hearing loss at an accelerated rate. Age-related hearing loss occurs naturally over time, but occupational noise exposure speeds this process up, putting men and women at risk for developing early-onset hearing loss. In addition, tinnitus is most commonly caused by exposure to loud noise. Therefore, those who are regularly subjected to loud noise are more likely to eventually suffer from both tinnitus and a hearing impairment.
Testing Options
HES offers three industrial testing options that can be used for both baseline and annual hearing testing.
Hearing Evaluation Services has 3 testing options for consideration:
- On-Site Trailer: A mobile test trailer equipped with two sound booths and a small waiting area. Recommended for larger companies where a lot of employees will require testing.
- On-Site Single Sound Booth: The sound booth requires a relatively quiet area, and can be set up in a conference room, exercise area, or any available room the business facility has to offer.
- Hearing Evaluation Services: Employees can come to either one of our Amherst or Orchard Park locations. This is recommended for smaller businesses interested in eliminating the transportation fee for the mobile units.
An audiologist or a certified occupational hearing conservationist (CAOHC) conducts all testing. Otoscopy is completed for every employee. This helps eliminate unnecessary entries in the OSHA 300 log that may be attributed to earwax. In all conditions the noise levels are monitored to ensure that the test environment is acceptable.
HES also offers a variety of options for hunters, law enforcement officials, construction workers, factory workers, woodworkers, machinists, and many other individuals who participate in loud activities occupationally or recreationally. If you work or play in an environment where you are regularly exposed to loud noise, it is time to start being proactive about protecting your hearing. Please Contact Us for a consultation about custom hearing protection.