Noise can cause industrial deafness claims in your workplace
Hearing Testing is required to monitor the effectiveness of noise protection program
Surprise noise hazards
You might be surprised at the potential noise hazards found in workplaces.
Even “quiet” offices can end up with work related hearing losses.
Fire /evacuation alarms can be as loud as 130 dB. At this level staff exposed to alarms for less than one second can be noise exposed…resulting in tinnitus and permanent hearing loss.
Answering a phone can result in a staff member experiencing “acoustic shock”. Debilitating symptoms of tinnitus, vertigo, hearing loss, pain and poor speech clarity can result from a single incident.
Sound Advice recommends all new staff should have pre-employment baseline hearing to identify and record a person’s hearing ability. During the interview process just because a person can respond to questions in a one to one quiet situation…does not mean the person has normal hearing.
Any one working with the public needs to be able to understand what the client is saying. This role can become very stressful if the worker is struggling to hear. Worker’s compensation stress claims commonly occur and masks that the underlying problem is caused by hearing problems.
When does a workplace need to get hearing tests done?
Occupational Health & Safety obligations require all workers exposed to noise over 85 dBA for 8 hours a day to have their hearing screened every 2 years. Hearing screening is the only way to tell if all the preventative measures being used for occupational noise to protect employees are working.
Conducting hearing screens every 2 years then filing the results in the bottom drawer is a waste of time and money.
After conducting hearing screens that meet AS1269 standards…Sound Advice Tasmania analyze and provide detailed written reports that identifies who is having hearing problems but may not realize it yet!
All hearing results are reviewed by University trained Audiologists. Our staff have the expertise to identify who is having hearing difficulties that will affect their performance in the workplace and provide solutions to keep individuals safe.
for experience, expertise and sound advice for your workplace