Page 22 - OHS, November/December 2020

PPE: HEARING PROTECTION
hearing conservation program is working. If hearing protection is working as it should, an employee should be able to be tested at any point during the work shift while showing no hearing shift.
Bring Hearing Protection to the Test...
Employees should always bring their hearing protection—whether foam earplugs, earmuffs or other types of protection—to the testing location. When you are working with a mobile testing compliance partner, they should mention this as a reminder to tell your employees. If doing this yourself or sending employees to a clinic, ensure this step is followed. This allows the technician to verify whether your employees are correctly using the protection they wear, as poorly fitting equipment is a major cause of inadequate protection and hearing damage.
...But Don’t Wear it During the Test
Anything that has been inserted into the ear canal must be removed before taking the hearing test. While this may seem like an obvious and unnecessary piece of advice, too often employees go in for testing with disposable foam hearing protection wedged in their ear.
The same is true for anyone wearing hearing aids, as they must be removed during testing. While those with hearing aids may fear they have a disadvantage during the test, this is simply not the case. The purpose of the annual hearing test is to determine if an employee’s hearing has worsened. Wearing a hearing aid during the test will prevent an accurate measurement of hearing change. Take special care and consideration of these employees when it comes to testing.
Doctor’s Orders
If an employee has a note from a physician stating they are currently under medical care for an ear problem, they still need to be tested if they are in your hearing conservation program. Often times a medical problem will not result in a hearing shift. Unless the ear is painful to the touch or has active drainage, you are encouraged to have the employees tested.
It’s important to note that hearing protection, or the lack thereof, can cause serious medical issues. For instance, a medical professional may recommend that an employee not use hearing protection or that they need to wear hearing protection at all times at work for various medical reasons. If either of these are truly medical necessities, then the employee cannot work in noise and will need to be otherwise accommodated and the situation will need to be further evaluated.
Additionally, be aware of your claustrophobic and anxious employees before the testing process when sound booths or other smaller spaces are involved. The employee may need to be tested alone so that the technician can allow brief breaks during the session. If possible, schedule these employees at the end of the test day or before a test break to allow for a longer test time, if needed. If a claustrophobic employee cannot tolerate testing in a sound booth, make sure to schedule other arrangements.
Testing Follow Up
Once testing is completed, you will probably have questions or concerns about the test results. Audiologists dedicated to occupational hearing loss prevention bring the expertise and
Behaving as if every day is hearing testing day keeps everyone safe.
knowledge to help understand and analyze test results. These professionals have a thorough understanding of the inner working of the ear, expert knowledge of noise and noise management related to industrial hygiene, as well as ear diseases and the severe impact of hearing loss. The audiologist should be able to perform work-related evaluations, investigations that confirm hearing shifts and determine if it was a professional or personal incident.
Additionally, data management is another essential part of testing follow up. By analyzing your hearing testing data, you can uncover potential hazards as well as highlight and pursue areas of success. Make sure you have a platform that easily allows you to gain insights into your Hearing Conservation Program, report your results and plan for the future. After all, it’s not just about checking the box on annual hearing testing—it’s about the long- term safety and health of your team.
In the Age of COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for industrial sanitation has never been more important. In attempts to reduce the virus transmission, make sure you or your testing partner are closely adhering to CDC and OSHA guidelines and regulations.
Sanitation and distancing are essential with hearing testing. Sanitizing all contact surfaces between use is an important safety step to be taken to reduce the risk of virus spread. Other steps include adding partitions between testing and training spaces and adding air purifiers to all gathering spaces.
Moreover, temperature checks should be a requirement before testing, and face masks should be worn by all testing staff and employee participants. Studies have shown that when both parties wear a mask, the spread of the virus is significantly reduced. Test administrators should also wear masks, gloves and even full-body protective covering. The goal is to allow you to continue with compliance testing while keeping employees and testers as safe as possible from viral infection.
Treat Every Day Like it is Hearing Testing Day
When it comes to hearing protection, your employees should treat every day like hearing testing day. Consistent and careful use of hearing protection, as well as proper training and monitoring, should be a daily occurrence on the job. Too often, hearing protection usage increases right before hearing testing occurs. This occurrence doesn’t accurately represent your workforce’s typical hearing practice, and can result in damaged hearing health if the pattern continues.
More importantly, protecting ear and hearing health prevents a host of other physical and mental health complications, such as poor balance, impaired memory, increased blood pressure, depression, social withdrawal and anxiety. Behaving as if every day is hearing testing day keeps everyone safe.
Chad Coleman is Director, Marketing & Client Engagement at Examinetics, a leading provider of workforce health and regulatory compliance solutions. He oversees the planning, development, and execution of the company’s strategic marketing initiatives.
16 Occupational Health & Safety | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
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