Audiometric Testing
Audiometric testing is required of employers whose employees are exposed to an eight hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 decibels (calculated on the "A" scale). Although much is said of compliance with the law as promulgated by the Indian Factories Act of 1948, the ultimate purpose is to avoid hearing loss. Your occupational noise exposure survey will assist you in determining the employees who should have annual hearing testing.

On-site testing is an economical way to conduct audiometric testing as it is efficient and requires the least amount of time from the job.

Audiometric testing can be conducted on-site with our mobile test unit which accommodates up to four employees every 12 minutes, or 20 per hour. Individual audiometric testing can also be conducted within the premises of an industry in a quite noise free area.

All testing is carried out by qualified Audiologist/ Hearing Conservationist. The tests are conducted using state of art calibrated microprocessor oriented Audiometry machine interfaced with software. Audiometric evaluation and interpretation is conducted by our staff audiologist.

If prior years' test results are available from employment physicals, or from other servic roviders, we will input the results into your company's database at no additional charge.

With our reporting, we provide documented verification of exhaustive calibration of equipment as well as tester credentials. This provides our client with all the data necessary in an annual stand-alone report.

Noise Exposure Surveys
Occupational noise exposure surveys are the cornerstone of every hearing conservation program. Simply put, a noise survey indicates who is exposed to what type and level of noise. Armed with this information, the safety professional and employee can take the appropriate steps to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. However, just knowing the general noise level of an area is insufficient to properly protect employees from hearing loss.

An occupational noise exposure survey allows for the following results:

• Identification of employees for inclusion in a hearing Conservation program.
  
• Proper selection of hearing protectors.
  
• Identification of plant areas for investigation of feasible engineering and administrative controls.

Survey Procedures
The survey procedure incorporates representative monitoring. Representation is based upon groups of employees:

• Who exhibit potential to rotate or change jobs with no associated change in personnel record keeping,
  
• Who are engaged in similar type of work, and
  
• Whose sound exposures are expected to be similar.

Monitoring is conducted at a minimum for operations reasonably believed to exhibit exposure potential which are representative of the group of employees engaged in those operations. The resulting time-weighted averages (TWA) are considered to reflect sound potential for the group.

Employment information is obtained to compile a roster to form the structure of the representative monitoring. Direct observation and interviews with lead and operating personnel assisted in the identification of:

• Primary production activities, including duration,
  
• Potential employees mobility pattern, and,
  
• Major sources of noise exposure.