Why Audiometric Testing Needs to Evolve Beyond Hearing Protection in Australian Workplaces

In Australia, many industries, such as construction, logistics, and manufacturing, tend to view audiometric testing as a simple compliance box to check. It’s conducted annually or biannually and viewed as a minor component of the safety program instead of a control measure within the organization’s comprehensive safety risk management program. \

This outdated approach to audiometric testing needs to change. Noise-assessing technologies within an operational worksite are advancing, and hearing damage risks are becoming career-ending and legally complicated. 

Testing solely to measure hearing loss after the problem has arisen is inadequate. It is crucial to map the disconnect between warning signs, operational risk, and strategic planning. 

Transforming audiometric testing from a lag indicator to a lead indicator 

Most WHS programs view audiometric testing as a lag indicator. It demonstrates damage done after the injury has occurred. However, when combined with smart noise assessment and trend analysis, audiometric data greatly improves the predictive ability.

When different employees begin to show symptoms of hearing threshold shifts, it could indicate:

– Lack of Proper Machinery Maintenance

– Poorly Fitting PPE

– Inadequate Training, Supervision, or Safety processes

– Unforeseen deviations in processes at the site

A talented WHS team knows how to use these early indicators to take preventative action before a worker gets injured or after the fact to prevent them from presenting a claim.

Assuming Noise Assessments Are the Only Necessary Form of Risk

Employers frequently assume and complete the bare minimum to meet risk compliance which in this scenario is to complete periodic noise assessments to determine noise compliance levels and exposure limits. The lack of hearing assessments grossly undervalues the noise assessments.

Consider this for example:

– Employees are assigned shifts in both quiet and noisy areas of the workplace

– noise levels are unpredictable due to construction activity

– machinery is operated and noise levels increase gradually due to wear and tear.

In these scenarios and countless more, a static noise map is unhelpful.

That is precisely why audiometric testing and assessments are to be paired. It is a necessary component to complete compliance and risk assessment. It creates a loop that ties in exposure of risk and the hearing test results. In doing this, the processes provide a feedback system tied together rather than resulting in endless unchecked tasks.

The Legal and Operational Risk Incurred By Separation

In Australia, Safe Work Australia and particular state Work Health & Safety regulations require noise assessments and audiometric testing under certain conditions. And while they do not require integration, that’s where many businesses falter.

Businesses might:

– Conduct noise assessments every five years.

– Outsource audiometric testing every year.

– Over and under connect the data between the two.

The outcome is legally preventable trends and losses associated with unmitigated hearing loss claims. Failure to connect the audiometric testing with noise assessments leaves businesses wide open to legal claims.

Ultimately, the absence of integration leaves no legally defensible position regarding disjointed records, especially during a legal claim. Expect difficult questions if a noise map shows a level of 82 dB(A) while three workers in that same zone suffer from hearing loss.

Digitising the Audiometric Ecosystem

The infrastructure to digitally synchronize hearing risk data already exists with mobile testing vans, cloud-based noise dosimeters, and WHS platforms that can integrate with other systems.

The safety professionals and employers of the future will be asking the following questions:

Can we link audiometric results and maps to the location of workplaces and the specific tasks performed?\

Are we linking audiometric results to reviews of control effectiveness?

Can we analyze the audiometric results and determine which job roles or equipment exposure are the cause of hearing loss?

Is our noise assessment data current or are we still working from old data in a PDF?

A digital link between noise assessments and audiometric results not only improves safety but also drives effective data-based investments. For example, it can help determine the best location to place noise barriers, upgrade equipment, or modify shift patterns to reduce noise exposure.

The Perception of Workers Is Changing—Policies Should Follow

In high-physical-demand industries, employees are more concerned about the long-term health impacts of hearing loss. For employers, demonstrating a commitment to the health of your employees goes beyond compliance, and beyond the health of the workers, it improves the quality of life for employees.

Psychosocial risk triggered by WHS legislation is finally being addressed. Prolonged undiagnosed hearing loss and the frustration, isolation, and lack of communication that follows are serious health issues. Hearing damage should not be overlooked.

Concluding Thoughts

If audiometric testing is done without meaningful noise evaluation and consideration of workplace practices, the value of the testing is lost. However, the integration of the three systems—supported by high-end technology, trend studies, and holistic work health and safety systems—can become a strong centerpiece in the prevention of injuries, claims reduction, and promotion of a caring environment.

Australian organizations should stop viewing hearing tests as a compliance necessity and start acknowledging their value as an early detection tool in a noise-sensitive environment.