The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to provide health surveillance for workers who are regularly exposed to noise above the upper exposure action value of 85 dB(A).
Other workers may also need health surveillance if they are particularly sensitive to noise. Sensitivity may be indicated by audiometry results from previous jobs, medical history, a history of exposure to noise above 85 dB(A), or in a very few cases, a family history of deafness in early life.
The person who conducts the surveillance should be fully conversant with the technical and ethical aspects of audiometry. They could be an occupational doctor, nurse with training in audiometry, or a trained technician with access to a qualified occupational health medical professional for advice and a referral.
Practitioners should have attended a British Society for Audiology approved course for industrial audiometricians or have an equivalent level of competence.
In construction it is common for hearing checks to be done on site. These checks help to identify potential hearing problems which can be referred for a more detailed investigation. However, the hearing checks are unlikely to constitute audiometric testing unless:
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