Questions You Might Have If Your Employer Sends You For Audiometric Testing
Audiometric testing may sound very strange and even frightening, but this is actually a type of hearing test that isn't painful or invasive in any way. You may find that your employer sends you for an audiometric test once you begin work in a certain facility, and then you may need to have the test redone on a regular basis after that. Note a few commonly asked questions about an audiometric test that you may need to undergo and be sure to consider these with the person conducting the test if you still need more information.
1. Who gets and audiometric test and why?
Very often an audiometric test is conducted for employees who work in area with high volumes of noise or vibration. Both can affect your hearing after many years of exposure, and an employer needs to ensure that your hearing is being protected during work hours. They may also use the results of an audiometric test to help determine if they need to increase their safety standards at their facility. For example, if many employees see a decline in their hearing over the years, the ear protection they're being offered may not be adequate and an employer may need to make adjustments.
2. What is a baseline audiogram?
A baseline audiogram is a test that is often conducted when you first start working at a facility. This test monitors your current hearing levels and health so that it can then be compared as the years go by. An employer cannot tell if you have gradual hearing loss if they don't know your current hearing levels; you could already have hearing loss due to age or genetics, and struggling with hearing in the future may not have anything to do with your working conditions.
3. Will the test note if there are health conditions in the ear?
Typically an audiometric test is just done to measure your hearing although an exam of the ears may be included in some cases. If the examiner notices that you have extremely poor hearing, he or she may recommend that you visit your doctor for a more thorough checkup. However, note that the audiometric test itself is not necessarily going to detect damage done to the ear, an ear infection, and the like. Those tests may be run separately depending on the visit overall, but the audiometric test itself only measures hearing levels.