A good audiometer is the foundation of a successful occupational hearing conservation program. That’s why you need to ensure the instrument you purchase has everything you need to ensure maximum efficiency, accuracy, and success. Here are the most essential features needed in an occupational health audiometer.
Pure Tone, Air Conduction Audiometry
According to OSHA regulation 1910.95(h)(1), Audiometric tests shall be pure tone, air conduction, hearing threshold examinations, with test frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, and 6000 Hz. Because of this, you need an audiometer that can perform pure tone, air conduction hearing tests at these frequencies. For example, the Tremetrics RA660 can perform pure-tone, air conduction audiometry with a frequency range of 250 – 8000 Hz
Bio-Acoustic Simulator
A bio-acoustic simulator is necessary to ensure your audiometer is calibrated correctly. It performs daily biological tests and generates a legal record that your audiometer is calibrated. This is important because an audiometer that’s out of calibration can lead to inaccurate results, which then leads to a huge headache for your organization. Some audiometers, such as the Tremetrics RA660, come with a fully integrated bio-acoustic simulator. However, if your audiometer doesn’t have one integrated, you can purchase one separately. We recommend the Tremetrics OSCAR 6.
Octave Band Monitor
When performing an audiometric test, it’s crucial to ensure that ambient noise levels in the room are minimal. Specifically, ambient noise must comply with OSHA 1910.95. Here is a table that shows what the sound pressure level should be at each frequency, according to OSHA.
frequency (Hz)
|
500
|
1000 |
2000 |
4000 |
8000 |
Sound pressure
level (dB)
|
40 |
40 |
47 |
57 |
62 |
An octave band monitor will monitor the ambient noise in the room to ensure it is within OSHA and ANSI standards. Some audiometers have an octave band monitor built in or available as an optional attachment. They can also be purchased as a separate unit and can be very costly.
Test Multiple Patients Simultaneously
Advancements in hardware and software have made it possible to test multiple patients at once. This is particularly helpful for hearing conservation programs with a heavy patient load. It helps save time and increase efficiency by performing several examinations at once. For example, the Tremetrics RA660 makes it possible to test up to eight people simultaneously, helping your hearing conservation program save time and money.
Smart Software
Last, but not least, you need good software that can store a lot of tests. OSHA requires you to keep a history of examinations for patients, so it’s wise to have a software that can safely store these tests and make them easy to recall when necessary. In addition to helping you stay more organized, this helps you save time, space, and money used towards printing and storing physical records.
Having all of these features in your audiometer will ensure that you’re staying fully compliant with OSHA’s requirements for hearing examinations. For more information on occupational health audiometers feel free to check out our web page today.
Learn More
For a more comprehensive overview of our occupational health offerings, please visit e3occupational.com.