Page 28 - OHS, Nov/Dec 2023

HEARING PROTECTION 5 Ways to Improve Your Hearing Conservation Program Technology is helping hearing conservation meet today’s hearing protection challenges. BY CHAD COLEMAN As with many aspects of workplace safety, new technol- ogy is helping to enhance hearing conservation pro- grams. Portable tablet-based audiometers enable many improvements to hearing testing and training. When a company combines technology with customer service and knowledge about the Hearing Conservation Program, it offers a platform that addresses many of today’s challenges, while also adding benefits. Let’s highlight five ways that technology can im- prove your hearing conservation program: Test Everybody The main benefit of using a tablet audiometer is that you can get all your employees tested. If you prefer a mobile unit to come onsite to do most of the testing work, then using a portable au- diometer afterward helps you test the people who missed testing while the mobile unit was onsite or those needing a retest. Many companies decide to take testing in-house, administer- ing testing themselves without using a vendor. This means you can test whenever you want. You can test everybody on your cho- sen scheduling method, including new hires during the year. This means your employees stay onsite, which benefits productivity, and you have more scheduling flexibility. For example, if you only have a small number of employees to test, you don’t have to wait for a heavily booked vendor to visit your facility. If you have many employees, you can create a schedule that works for you. Training Included Some tablet-based audiometers come as a complete solution. These solutions go beyond just the testing portion of your Hear- ing Conservation Program, with training integrated into the ex- perience. Section K of the OSHA standard on noise exposure requires that you train employees annually on a few things: the effects of noise on hearing, the purpose of hearing protectors, and the pur- pose of audiometric testing. By using a solution with a training video included in the on- demand experience, you have one less thing to worry about. Like a Swiss army knife, you have several components of your pro- gram taken care of with one technology platform. Telehealth Features Telehealth is a new feature that many medical companies are em- bracing. It became popular during the Covid pandemic but has stuck around due to the convenience it offers. Some tablet-based audiometers have incorporated this func- tionality into the on-demand experience. Tele-technicians can guide your employees through hearing testing in a video chat, even seeing what the employee sees on their screen, so that they can provide support and guidance as needed. These features are designed thinking through the lens of com- pliance. Some scenarios require CAOHC-certified oversight. For example, this applies in Washington state, Oregon state, and com- panies governed by MSHA regulations. A tele-technician solu- tion means you can have the convenience of a tablet audiometer even if you are missing the required certification. Text-to-Speech Another technology enhancement that benefits hearing testing is the use of text-to-speech functionality. This helps in several ways. For one, audiologists know that many people close their eyes when testing. Psychologically, we think we can hear better this way. With text to speech, you never have to worry when employ- ees are alone in your testing room. With voice prompts, they get the alerts they need to move seamlessly through testing. Additionally, many tablet-based audiometers offer the testing experience in multiple languages. With many workforces consist- ing of employees where English is not their native language, this helps create a better experience. You can reduce the problems of language barriers and the need for several translators. Better Program Management The last benefit, and maybe most important, is how you can man- age your program better. When performing on-demand testing, test results should flow seamlessly to your data management platform or client portal. This immediate data transfer means you know right away who needs a retest. And using the portable audiometer means you have the easiest way to do those retests. Additionally, the ease of retesting leads to more accurate log- ging of recordable events. Why? Since you’ve eliminated the pain point of retests, it’s simple to take the next step of conducting a work-related evaluation if you have a confirmed shift in hearing. Data around improvements in retesting when testing on- demand shows that when clients use a mobile unit for adminis- tering hearing testing, 46 percent of employees with a Standard Threshold Shift (STS) get a retest, and 60 percent do a work- related evaluation (WRE) for further evaluation. In comparison, when an employer has access to a tablet-based audiometer for testing (whether in addition to the mobile unit or as a replace- ment), then 69 percent of employees with STS receive a retest and 73 percent do a work-related evaluation. That marks a 50 percent improvement in retesting and 20 percent improvement in WRE. This helps employers keep employees safe, improve their hear- ing conservation program, and accurately log recordables. Tech- nology not only brings improvements, convenience, and cost sav- ings, but also more peace of mind with your program. Chad Coleman is Director of Marketing and Client Engagement at Examinetics, a provider of occupational health and regulatory com- pliance solutions. He oversees the planning, development and execu- tion of the company’s strategic marketing initiatives. 28 Occupational Health & Safety | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 www.ohsonline.com