Audiometric Testing Program for Small Businesses
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that 30 million workers in the United States are exposed to hazardous noise. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that 10 million workers have noise-induced hearing loss resulting from exposure to workplace noise.
In addition to hearing loss, exposure to high levels of noise may:
- Create physical and psychological stress
- Reduce productivity
- Interfere with communication
- Contribute to accidents and injuries by making it difficult to hear warning signals
Rhode Island's Workers' Compensation Law recognizes loss of hearing due to industrial noise as an occupational disease. Employers may be responsible for occupational hearing loss that occurs on or after September 1, 2003 unless they have conducted baseline screenings to evaluate the extent of an employee's pre-existing hearing loss.
Working with the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, the Occupational and Environmental Health Center of Rhode Island (OEHCRI) has developed an audiometric screening program for small businesses. The services are provided free of charge if you are an employer with fifty (50) employees or less and have had sound level monitoring completed at your facility. If the testing agency determines that employees are exposed to noise levels over the OSHA permissible limit, the employees
are eligible for the following:
- Training session covering the requirements of OSHA's Occupational Noise Exposure regulation 1910.95.
- An audiogram performed by a Council For Accreditation and Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) Certified Audiometric Technician.
- Interpretation of the audiogram by a Board Certified Occupational Health Physician.
At the conclusion of the program, OEHCRI will forward to the employer all necessary documentation as required by federal and state regulations.
Contact Us for more information about Audiometric Testing.
For more information about Workers' Compensation Law or Benefits call the Department of Labor and Training Education Unit at 401-462-8125. |
