There’s a subtle difference between a few types of hearing testing that you might be looking for. It’s hard to know which is the right one if you haven’t looked into it yet. But one certainly sounds more in-depth than the other, doesn’t it? Let’s explore the finer distinctions between audiometric screening tests and more thorough hearing testing as with audiological assessments.

 

Do Employers Require Hearing Tests or Screenings?

 

For employers, there’s a legal requirement in provincial occupational health and safety standards concerning audiometric testing. OH&S Code part 16 requires employers to provide standardized hearing tests to workers in environments with operational noise exceeding 85 decibels. However, the key to this requirement is in monitoring over time.

 

A standardized screening test produces an audiogram, which can be kept as hearing conservation records – providing a warning that an employee might be losing their hearing and allowing for redoubled hearing conservation efforts. 3 screening tests over time are much more effective for hearing conservation than 1 full audiological health assessment. That’s where we come in and help employers with up-to-code and easy-to-book mobile audiometry screenings.

Do I Need an Audiometric Screening for OH&S in Industrial Settings?

Ear Testing

Basically put, anything more than screening is overkill for meeting your legal requirements to monitor employees’ hearing in noisy occupational settings. Screenings usually just involve checking for the presence of sound by asking the person to respond when they hear a sound, as with the pure tone test. These types of screenings can be important in identifying whether someone has a hearing loss, but they don’t give any information about the severity, or health implications. They just measure your hearing ability at various sonic frequencies.

 

So, if someone does have a hearing loss on a screening test, they’ll need to have a more comprehensive evaluation to determine the damage to the ear and what health issues arose afterwards if any. That’s where in-depth audiometric testing and audiological health evaluations might be warranted. Still, it saves time to put everyone through screenings while only following up on comprehensive diagnostic tests (also known as audiological assessments) in cases where a worker’s hearing has changed.

Ultimately, your company just needs to meet the OH&S standard. There’s no need to keep an ear doctor on-site to check each employee’s ear health and hearing ability daily. It would be far more effective to follow the basic requirements of the health code, meaning on-site, mobile audiometry screenings every 6 months would work for you, your employees, and OH&S officials. Call audiometric technicians like us if you need help with screenings, hearing conservation programs, noise measurement, and more.

Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while our sound booths are approved by the CSA. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.

Whether we like it or not, industrial and construction workers are susceptible to loud noises at their workplaces. Although it’s their job to work in industrial areas where heavy machinery operates hours per day, everyday exposure to intense noises can lead to irreversible hearing damage. This is why the workers must know about the hearing protection safety measures.

Hearing loss can affect your work and wellbeing, as has been proven in court via payout precedents and which Alberta’s worker compensation program covers. Whether workers insist on it or not, it’s of critical importance and mandated by law to implement a safe workplace for industrial workers that can prevent industrial hearing loss in the work field. Let’s explore how employers can do that.

 

What Is A Hearing Conservation Program?

 

Workplace hearing loss due to higher, prolonged noise happens in several industries. Those working in the fields of military, transportation, utilities, manufacturing, construction, mining, agriculture, and more are especially susceptible to hearing loss due to the loud noise hazards in their workplaces.

 

Alberta OH&S has mandated hearing conservation program requirements for workplaces with noise hazards to prevent workplace injuries. This program is required for employees whose eight-hour work time exceeds or is equal to the average sound level of eighty-five decibels on the scale. If your workers face that much noise regularly, you need a safety program in place.

What Goes Into a Hearing Conservation Program?

Work Safety and Safety Procedures. Two binders on desk in the office. Business background.

Alberta OHS Code Part 16, Section 221 (2) mandates that the noise management program must include a plan for worker education regarding the risks of excessive noise exposure and the proper use of hearing protection.

  • guidelines for measuring and monitoring employee exposure to noise
  • posting warning signs when the noise level exceeds 85 dB
  • the use and maintenance of employee-used hearing protection devices & PPE
  • timely and organized record-keeping of audiometric testing results

That gives you a checklist and the major hurdles you’ll have to pass to make your workplace safe enough. But you might be wondering about some ways to address these points.


How To Prevent Hearing Loss At Work


To prevent hearing loss at the workplace due to extreme noise, some rules of thumb you can make can complement your complete hearing conservation program. You can encourage workers to:


  • Take enough breaks from the activities that create noise in a quiet breakroom
  • Keep maximum possible distances from the noise source 
  • Reduce noise at the source of it; buy machines that emit low noise as a feature, and keep such equipment lubricated and well-maintained
  • Enclose the noisy workspace, or create a physical barrier between the machine and your ears
  • Always wear proper hearing protection when you are working in noisy areas; if you are using foam plugs, make sure they are inserted for effective use
  • If you are listening to music, keep the sound at a safe level, even if it means you can’t drown out industrial noise

The other thing you can do to protect your hearing at the workplace is to speak with hearing testing companies, especially audiometric technicians, who can advise based on their experiences. You can always learn from them what works and what doesn’t, so it makes sense to benefit from their wisdom.

Hearing loss is not to be underestimated as a workplace hazard, especially since it can sneak up on those affected. It can permanently affect a worker’s social life, overall wellbeing, and job fitness – and it’s a lose-lose situation for employers and employees. Workplace noise levels can be reduced by using well-maintained machines, and workers can save themselves by wearing the right ear protection. But the most surefire way forward is to have your audiometric testing company help you build a hearing conservation program that’s to code.

Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while our sound booths are approved by the CSA. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.

The topic of health and safety in the workplace is one that can confuse workers without proper orientation. But it’s important to remember that provincial safety codes are a company’s responsibility to take precautions against occupational hazards. Occupational Health & Safety can be thought of as a form of budgetary concern as public protection; it’s expensive for the company when workers get hurt just as much as it is upsetting on an emotional level for all involved.

 

Without this approach, however, workers would be at risk of physical harm or even death, so it’s well worth getting employees and employers on the same page about what hazards exist on the worksite and how to mitigate them. According to occupational health and safety regulations in Alberta, there are a few common workplace dangers, some of them more obvious than others.

 

Fire Hazards Are Most Common

 

These are the most prevalent danger to workers. Various industries use hazardous materials, and many of them are flammable or explosive. A common fire hazard is the risk of explosion from improperly storing flammable materials, such as chemical reagents, fuel, or pressurized chemical tanks.

 

Certain types of welding equipment can be deadly and even sometimes even faulty connections or mishandled wiring can pose risks beyond welding equipment. Anything electrical can pose fire hazards as well, so maintenance, handling, and storage of electric equipment is paramount.

 

Fires are caused by carelessness, ignorance, and inexperience. With proper education and training information, especially accessible data sheets on hazardous materials on-site, companies can help their workers minimize fire hazards.

 

Falling Hazards Are Very Common

 

A fall from high places can be fatal, particularly if the person is not properly protected or if the equipment or machinery is the cause of the fall. For example, falling stairs and scaffolds are a common hazard for construction workers, and scaffolding for elevated work projects can cause falls.

 

Anywhere workers need to be at elevated heights, even as little as 1m above ground or platform level, presents a falling hazard. For office workers, there are numerous ways to fall, including slips and falls in common areas, staircase use during fire drills, or tripping hazards throughout the office.

 

Falls can lead to serious injuries, including broken bones, head injuries, and even death. Falls are usually caused by human error as well as equipment failure, which means that people need to be trained on how to avoid falls as a part of orientation. Anyone who is responsible for the maintenance of equipment needs to be considerate of the dangers present. This can be anything from slippery surfaces or uneven grips to poorly placed obstacles and even furniture or storage access that may be too high.

Is Loud Noise a Workplace Hazard?

Danger Double Hearing Protection Required Sign.

This is a common question asked by workers and employers alike. According to regulations in Alberta, the decibel level that causes hearing loss varies by the decibel reading and the length of exposure. The thing about hearing loss is that it’s not easily felt the way other workplace injuries happen.

 

When you notice that your hearing has gone due to a noisy workplace like construction or industrial site, it might be too late. That’s why workplace hearing testing at regular intervals is make-or-break for keeping employees and their hearing safe. The normal daily noise threshold for the average person’s ears measures at around 85 decibels, which is lower than the average decibel readings at many worksites.

 

Loud noise might be an unavoidable part of your workplace, so there needs to be consistently close monitoring of hearing ability for each exposed employee, just in case. As a result, audiometric testing in Alberta is in high demand.

While these are just a few of the most common workplace hazards, certain businesses have specific needs that must be addressed. For example, medical offices and hospitals must take precautions against infection and other harmful diseases, while construction workers must be aware of potential falls from heights or mechanical equipment.

 

In general, working a job that involves the handling of chemicals can be very dangerous if proper precautions are not taken. These are obvious hazards with a need for training and orientation. On the other hand, loud noise is one thing most people don’t think of as a hazard right away, but companies familiar with OH&S compliance usually know the necessity of timely audiometric hearing testing as per code.

Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while our sound booths are approved by the CSA. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.

Hearing is an integral part of health. It plays a significant role in the five senses and can help direct individuals’ thoughts, elucidate their ideas, and improve productivity at home and at work. It’s also very central to someone’s enjoyment of life. While a person’s work is essential to making a living, that work can’t directly interfere with someone’s health, which is why occupational health and safety have been written into law.

A common issue is hearing loss that develops over time, potentially disabling someone’s career by affecting not only their work performance but also their very health and enjoyment of life. There are many causes of hearing loss (most commonly, age, but also reactions to medication and infection). Undoubtedly, it’s important for employers to facilitate audiometric screenings for employees – to help determine whether the loss of such a vital part of a person’s health was preventable and whether it occurred directly as a result of noise-induced by job site activities.

Noise Is an Occupational Hazard

 

Hearing loss is often caused by imperceptible shifts in hearing as a result of sustained noise above healthy levels. The fact is, it’s not easy for a worker to know when damage has occurred since your hearing can be elastic, and sustained, excessive noise can permanently curtail your hearing’s elasticity.

As a result, there needs to be a way for a company to determine who is at risk for hearing loss and what their level of risk is to avoid unintentionally damaging their health. At this point, the best course of action, and one required by Alberta OH&S, includes regular audiograms at the workplace to prevent any adverse outcomes from occurring. Fortunately for employees and employers alike, hearing loss from occupational noise forms distinctive patterns on audiograms.

Further Hearing Problems Can Result from Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Hearing aid device on laptop, work in office for deaf people

Moreover, occupational hearing loss can lead to unintended consequences. Sometimes there’s more than noise damage to the inner ear, which is why it’s important to catch it early and prevent further damage. Damage to the ear can lead to more problems, paving the way for a variety of ear illnesses that include tinnitus and vertigo.

 

More advanced hearing loss can become more pronounced in people exposed to occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Severe cases can require proactive management by an ear doctor every three years or so or every six months during infection. In addition, hearing aids may be recommended by an audiologist based on the individual’s lowered hearing ability.

It’s better to preserve hearing wherever possible, and noting when the first signs of hearing loss appear can enable employers to keep things from worsening. Periodic workplace hearing tests can bridge that gap and keep everyone accountable, so workers are safe at the workplace, and so that a company operates within code. 

Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while our sound booths are approved by the CSA. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.

Audiometric Screening Tests

 

Noise-induced hearing loss is the most common type of permanent hearing impairment and may be caused by prolonged exposure to sound levels over 85 dB or greater. But this type of hearing loss requires a hearing test to detect.

 

An audiometric screening test is a fast and easy test that is used to screen for hearing loss. In environments where noise is a significant hazard, companies are legally required to initiate screening tests for their team members. Mobile hearing testing is a convenient way for your employees to get tested. Our sound booths are CSA approved and include OHS certified, state-of-the-art audiometric testing equipment.

 

Employees participate in a pure-tone test, during which they will hear a series of audible tones at various volumes and frequencies. With each set of beeps, the worker will click the responder button to determine if they hear the sound. From there, the test results are printed for analysis, and the printout is called an audiogram. An audiometric technician will always review the results with each worker; we sit down with your employees to educate them on what they’re looking at with each audiogram. 

 

If you’ve ever wondered how professionals in this industry analyze the data, this article should give you a rough idea of how to interpret hearing loss on an audiogram.

 

Hearing Loss in General

 

Not all hearing loss is related to loud noises. Bacterial infections and reactions to medications are other known causes of hearing loss. In addition, many workplaces are subject to constant droning noises, and sounds in excess of 120 dB aren’t a normal part of the work environment. However, employees in these can still be subject to hearing impairment. Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is often subtle, resulting from consistent, sustained exposure to noises between 85-120 dB, and many don’t realize their hearing has been impacted until much later. For this more gradual loss of hearing, audiometric screening is even more important to identify issues and find prevention methods before it’s too late. 

 

How to Detect Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

 

When a person is exposed to high noise levels, the hearing threshold declines with higher frequencies. This results in an irregular pattern on the audiogram, often with large peaks in one ear and small valleys in the other ear, unless it’s affecting both ears.

 

An irregular audiogram can range from barely visible to very pronounced, and oftentimes it depends on years and years’ worth of exposure. This noise-induced hearing loss also has been called “occupational hearing loss” or “noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss.”

 

How an Audiogram Depicts Hearing Loss from an Audiometry Test

Age-related hearing loss indicated on an Audiogram following a hearing test

Audiograms paint a picture of a worker’s audiometric screening test results wherein hearing loss shows up as valleys or “notches.” 

    • On the x-axis of a chart, you can see sound frequency, in hertz (Hz), going from 500 to 8000. 
    • On the y-axis of a chart, you can see hearing sensitivity gaps measured in decibels (dB).

 

The test results are a connect-the-dots line that travels from normal thresholds, between 0 & 25 dB, to abnormal thresholds, from 25 to as much as 80 dB test results in the y-axis. A drop from 15 dB at 500 Hz to 45 dB at 4000 Hz and back up to 10 dB at 8000 Hz shows hearing loss at key frequencies—forming a visual trough or notch.

 

Notches are characteristically different from age-related hearing loss, which produces a downward curve with no bounce-back to normal thresholds at the 8000 Hz mark. This type of data strongly indicates that the hearing loss is due to the operation of heavy equipment, as you might find at your worksite

Audiometric screening tests are legally required because they paint a picture of what’s happening inside your ear over time as a worker advances in a career where noise is an accepted job hazard. However, hearing protection and hearing loss prevention programs, as well as thorough testing, provide the safe workplace that the law requires.

Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while our sound booths are approved by the CSA. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.

Workplace-Related Hearing Loss 

 

Too much noise can damage the ears. This can lead to hearing loss, ringing in the ears, or even temporary deafness. Noise-induced hearing loss isn’t just limited to sudden loud sounds either – it includes any sound you hear consistently day after day, like at construction sites, factories, farms, and more. Excessive, sustained noise can also include things more common to household noises like headphones with volumes set too high (80+ decibels).

 

The crucial concern for industrial site managers is whether a sustained or excessive noise at a worksite can damage a worker’s hearing and whether the company is liable. That’s where industrial audiometric screening tests can help a company determine the work environment’s influence on an employee’s hearing loss. Let’s look at how.

 

How Does Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Affect Workers’ Compensation?

 

An employee can file a claim with workers’ comp like Alberta’s WCB or WorkSafeBC and argue that the hearing loss they experienced was due to work, a term known as Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Alberta. To determine whether their hearing loss was due to the workplace, employees need a set of audiograms from routine hearing tests that show data consistent with occupational hearing loss.

 

When an employee experiences hearing loss and it’s attributable to the work environment, the hearing loss is considered “compensable,” and the employee can get hearing aids covered by the WCB. And of course, if an employer gets significant WCB claims coming in, your premiums increase. Poor Performance Surcharges can impact your annual fees by 25%-200%, depending on how many WCB claims workers make each year. 

 

What Can Hearing Loss Cost You in Court?

worker in production plant drilling at machine on the factory floor

Hearing loss can result in compensation. There are a few precedents in case law that give an idea of what factors into damages payouts when a party is held liable for hearing loss. In these cases, the plaintiffs sought damages and collected $13,875 – $192,519 (adjusted for 2020 inflation levels). 

Some cases of workplace hearing loss can lead to lawsuits. As with any lawsuit, payouts come in the forms of either out-of-court settlements or awarded economic damages after the court decides liability. Damages tend to be lump sums that can be broken down into multiple factors:

  • Actual Damages
  • Income Interruption Damages
  • Pecuniary & Punitive Damages
  • Pain & Suffering
  • Loss of Enjoyment of Life

While worker’s compensation is the first step for an employee suffering from hearing loss due to workplace noise hazards, there’s nothing stopping an employee from taking a company to court as a private citizen. In that case, they might seek damages near the upper limit of damage precedents in this area of law, which is close to $200,000.

Audiometric screening tests are not only required but tremendously helpful in avoiding large compensation payouts or higher payments to the WCB. They provide data in the form of a baseline test and annual hearing tests to ensure your personnel are not crossing thresholds for normal changes in hearing. If you have more questions on limiting your liability with industrial hearing tests or workplace noise testing, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

 Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while our sound booths are approved by the CSA. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.

Audiometric screening tests are essential for workers’ health and safety in multiple industries, including mining, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and more. Any worksite where noise levels exceed normal levels could easily qualify as a health and safety hazard, requiring hearing testing by law to monitor the wellbeing of workers.

One thing we talked about before when discussing normal and abnormal hearing test results is the difference between what we do, audiometry testing, and a health assessment done by an audiologist, sometimes referred to as audiometric assessment. There is a distinction, and that’s what we’re going to expound upon in this post. Doing so will help you understand what an audiometric test’s part is in detecting hearing-related illnesses.

How Audiometric Screening Tests Can Detect Hearing Loss

 

Routine audiometry testing is key to helping workers understand their hearing. It provides data that employers and employees alike can use. But the fact remains that audiometry testing does not directly detect a hearing-related illness. It just paints a picture of your hearing ability, and by comparing baseline test results against periodic tests, your audiometric technician can identify abnormal shifts or abnormal baseline test results in your hearing.

How Audiometric Screening Tests Might Indicate Tinnitus or Other Illnesses

 

Tinnitus is frequently linked to hearing loss. Tinnitus is a loud phenomenon in your ears without an identifiable source of sound. Ringing, buzzing, whistling, whooshing, roaring, humming, or cricket noises seemingly from inside your head are examples of these sounds. But tinnitus is not a sickness or an ailment in and of itself.

Tinnitus can be caused by various factors, including middle ear infections and ear damage caused by loud noises. Moreover, tinnitus can happen on its own or in tandem with other types of hearing loss! As far as disease goes, certain infections, such as meningitis, CMV, mumps, and chickenpox can cause hearing loss. Jaundice can also lead to some ear health problems in severe cases.

To be clear, audiometric testing can certainly indicate when there might be hearing loss, but it can’t directly indicate that someone has tinnitus

The Difference Between Audiometric Screening Tests & Audiological Assessments

Audiological assessment for elderly citizen people. Otolaryngologist doctor checking mature woman's ear using otoscope or auriscope at medical clinic

An industrial audiometry test’s primary purpose is to show when hearing loss has taken place due to sustained noise. 

An audiologist performs an audiological assessment, sometimes after an audiometric technician has administered a routine hearing test and referred the patient to a doctor. For all intents and purposes, an audiologist is an ear doctor. They can take various tests, and they might refer to an audiogram you got from industrial audiometric testing, and work towards a diagnosis, wherever there’s an undetected hearing-related illness in play. But your hearing test results are only part of the puzzle.


If you’re getting a routine hearing test, the resulting audiogram constitutes data an audiologist might be able to use in making a medical diagnosis. After that, they will likely need to perform further medical tests to form a diagnosis, as part of a medical ear exam.

At Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing, we make sure that we’re in touch with the most reliable audiologists we can find for the benefit of workers and their employers. But our primary focus is on providing audiometric screening tests and helping to prevent Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss(ONIHL)—to aid employers as they meet safety standards in the workplace, for the benefit of all.

Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while our sound booths are approved by the CSA. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.

What’s the difference between an audiogram and audiometry? When you go in for testing, in cooperation with your employer or along with your employees, you might have questions about the process and what to expect. This post will shed some light on the modes and methods available, and the one used exclusively by audiometric testers like Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing.

Audiometry Test Vs. Audiogram

More broadly, an audiogram is part of the process of audiometry. An audiogram results from an screening test employing wide ranges of frequency (Hz) and volume (dB). Audiometry testing for industrial, agricultural, construction services, and more can assess such workers’ ability to detect a wide range of sounds.

There are quite a few methods to test hearing, and many serve infant patients who require unique testing methods. Examples of such niche testing methods include evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAE), auditory brainstem response (ABR), auditory steady state response (ASSR), visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA), and more. But for industrial hearing tests, only one type of testing is appropriate.

The pure tone testing method is the gold standard in audiometric testing for older children and adults, so it’s perfect for industrial hearing testing. Pure tone testing produces a detailed audiogram to help your audiometric technician understand the results and whether they fall within normal or abnormal ranges. Comprehensive testing equipment can help your hearing test technician with any grey areas. 

Mobile Industrial Hearing Testing in Southern Alberta

Hearing test being done on woman from mobile testing truck.

In industrial centers like Calgary or rural industries in the surrounding areas of southern Alberta or BC, mobile hearing tests can make these strict testing deadlines go a lot more smoothly. Included is an audiogram with interpretation from experienced hearing audiometric technicians who know what to look for.

So, how can you use the data from an audiometric assessment to determine if there are issues with your hearing or not? You’re free to ask the technicians performing the hearing tests, as they can provide helpful and relevant information that you can use to determine your next course of action.

Having hearing testing done on-site offloads the tremendous logistical requirements of moving employees around on company time and keeps a record of just how good your employees’ hearing is—all in a timely manner. That way, everyone is covered.

Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while the CSA approved our sound booths. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.

How we interpret your audiometric hearing test results revolves around the ear’s sensitivity. Luckily, your ear is a flexible thing. If your ear is exposed to brief or less-than-extreme loudness, it can bounce back and regain the sensitivity you’re used to. But very loud or sustained noise can severely hinder your ear’s ability to bounce back, and you can lose your hearing.

 

Through careful study, private and government organizations have established an understanding of the limits to which your ears can flex with the noise of the workplace—called thresholds. Hearing loss is defined as a shift beyond the average threshold, and qualified audiometric technicians like us are certified to interpret the results correctly. When you get an audiogram, we’ll be looking for normal results and normal shifts. But how do we look for those results.

 

Normal & Abnormal Shifts in Audiometric Testing

 

Baseline testing is one thing industrial, construction, agricultural, or any workers exposed to noise need, by law. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Code, a baseline test must establish the worker’s hearing thresholds within 6 months of being exposed to noise on the job.

 

Baseline testing gives context to later tests and shows what the worker’s hearing is like early into their first months of employment where noise levels are a hazard. The same OH&S Code notes in section 223 that additional hearing tests must be administered within 12 months of baseline testing, and again once every 2 years, minimum. We can observe a shift by comparing a recent test or several tests with the baseline.

 

Rocky Mountain Hearing can better understand thresholds falling within normal and abnormal ranges, and whether abnormal shifts result from the work environments. So what are the average metrics defining shifts in normal and abnormal thresholds?

 

A worker holding his ear feels the effects of hearing loss as an abnormal shift develops

An “Abnormal shift” means a threshold shift, in either ear, of 15 dB at two consecutive test frequencies from 1000 Hz up to and including 6000 Hz when compared to the baseline test.

 

But gathering and interpreting audiometric test results requires qualified personnel. And we’re certified to ensure that the results are a precise measurement of the worker’s hearing.

 

Audiometric Assessment Results Vs Audiometric Testing

 

Industrial hearing tests ensure that workers’ hearing isn’t changing due to noise. If there are abnormal test results, Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing have audiologists review the results and recommend followup. An audiometric assessment is the next step! A trained healthcare professional will look at a worker’s baseline hearing test, and their subsequent hearing test results to look for differences that aid a medical diagnosis. We’re here to interpret your employees’ results per OH&S Code and flag any results that aren’t quite normal.

 

Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while our sound booths are approved by the CSA. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.

Audiometry testing is a useful way to gauge your hearing capabilities. It is made more effective with multiple tests over a period of time, as this allows you to see any changes in your hearing and address any problems as they arise. Still, when given a line graph with numbers and symbols on it, you may not be able to decipher their meaning without a proper explanation. That is what we offer below. 

audiometric-testing

Defining the X and Y Axis’s of Your Audiometry Test

Typically, the X-axis (horizontal) of your audiometry test will be the frequency of the sound, measured in hertz (Hz). Frequency is the measure of a soundwave’s repetition in a certain time frame. Lower frequencies sound deeper and repeat less often. Higher frequencies sound higher and repeat more often. 


The Y-axis (vertical) of your audiometry test represents the intensity of the sound, expressed in decibels (dB). Intensity is a measure of the soundwave’s energy and acts much like the volume buttons on a television remote. More decibels mean a louder sound, which is easier to perceive.


Defining the Plotted Line of Your Audiometry Test

Audiometry testing assesses your ability to hear a range of frequencies. As you proceed through the test, the intensity of the sound will increase until you indicate you can hear it. Each point on the line is where you indicated you could hear the frequency and the intensity of the sound at that time. 


An adult with no hearing loss will identify all frequencies within 0 to 25 dB, and a child 0 to 15 dB. Results with higher intensities indicate that the individual has experienced some hearing loss, which can be addressed with hearing aids and other methods if needed. 


Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing is your locally owned and operated Calgary business. We are committed to providing mobile hearing testing services and other safety tests to numerous industries and companies in Western Canada. Our services are part of the WorkSafeBC Provider Network, while our sound booths are approved by the CSA. We offer audiometry testing, mask fit testing, custom earplugs, noise measurements, help with implementing a hearing conservation program, and spirometry testing. If you want to improve your workplace, leave it in the hands of our team. Contact us today at (403) 399-4775.