Occupational Audiometry Course

Lesson 1 • Epidemiology of Occupational Hearing Loss

Presents prevalence data and risk factors across industrial sectors. Contextualises audiometric findings within broader workforce health trends.

Lesson 2 • Physics of Sound and Noise

Examines frequency, intensity, wavelength, and decibel scales. Provides the acoustic framework needed to interpret exposure measurements and audiograms.

Lesson 3 • Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Mechanisms

Details metabolic and mechanical pathways of cochlear damage from noise. Enables clinicians to distinguish NIHL patterns from other hearing loss types.

Lesson 4 • Physiology of Hearing

Explains how mechanical vibration converts to neural signals via the cochlea. Links physiology to understanding threshold shifts and audiometric patterns.

Lesson 1 • Occupational Screening Protocols

Defines baseline, periodic, and exit audiogram protocols for workplace programmes. Standardises testing procedures to enable valid longitudinal comparisons.

Lesson 2 • Pure-Tone Audiometry Fundamentals

Covers air and bone conduction testing principles and threshold determination. Forms the procedural core of occupational audiometric screening programmes.

Lesson 3 • Audiogram Interpretation Basics

Teaches reading and plotting audiograms, identifying normal and abnormal patterns. Connects graphical data to clinical decision-making in workplace programmes.

Lesson 4 • Validity and Reliability in Testing

Addresses sources of test error, patient cooperation, and result verification. Ensures audiometric data quality sufficient for regulatory and clinical use.

Lesson 1 • Electroacoustic Calibration Standards

Explains annual electroacoustic calibration requirements and measurement parameters. Ensures audiometer output meets standardised reference equivalent threshold levels.

Lesson 2 • Equipment Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Provides systematic approaches to identifying and resolving common audiometer faults. Minimises programme downtime and maintains continuous testing capability.

Lesson 3 • Biological Calibration Procedures

Covers daily listening checks and biological calibration using known-threshold subjects. Detects equipment drift before it compromises test validity.

Lesson 4 • Types of Audiometers

Compares manual, self-recording, and microprocessor audiometers for occupational use. Guides appropriate equipment selection based on programme size and setting.

Lesson 1 • Exposure Records and Data Management

Covers documentation requirements, data retention, and exposure record systems. Ensures longitudinal tracking of worker exposure for audiometric correlation.

Lesson 2 • Identifying High-Risk Noise Sources

Teaches source identification, frequency analysis, and noise pathway tracing. Supports targeted engineering control recommendations for the loudest exposures.

Lesson 3 • Noise Measurement Instrumentation

Covers sound level meters, dosimeters, and octave band analysers for field use. Matches instrument selection to measurement objectives and workplace conditions.

Lesson 4 • Workplace Noise Surveys

Describes area monitoring, personal dosimetry, and task-based sampling strategies. Provides a systematic approach to characterising full-shift noise exposure.

Lesson 1 • Defining Standard Threshold Shift

Explains STS criteria including average shift calculations at 2, 3, and 4 kHz. Establishes the quantitative basis for triggering program responses.

Lesson 2 • Confirming and Documenting STS

Details retest procedures, timing requirements, and documentation standards for confirmed STS. Ensures defensible records for program evaluation and worker notification.

Lesson 3 • Program Response to STS Findings

Outlines required and recommended actions following STS confirmation, including referral and retraining. Closes the loop between audiometric findings and protective interventions.

Lesson 4 • Age Correction in STS Analysis

Covers presbycusis correction tables and their appropriate application to STS determinations. Distinguishes noise-induced from age-related threshold changes.

Lesson 1 • Types and Attenuation Ratings

Compares earplugs, earmuffs, and semi-inserts across NRR, SNR, and field attenuation metrics. Enables evidence-based HPD selection for specific noise environments.

Lesson 2 • Fit Testing and Verification

Covers real-ear attenuation at threshold and field microphone-in-real-ear methods. Provides objective evidence of individual HPD performance in the workplace.

Lesson 3 • HPD Training and Compliance

Designs effective worker training on insertion technique, care, and consistent use. Addresses behavioral barriers to HPD compliance in industrial environments.

Lesson 4 • HPD Selection for Exposure Levels

Applies derating methods to match HPD attenuation to measured TWA exposures. Prevents both under-protection and over-protection in workplace programs.

Lesson 1 • Recordkeeping Systems and Retention

Specifies audiogram, exposure, and training record formats and retention schedules. Supports program evaluation, legal defensibility, and longitudinal data analysis.

Lesson 2 • Program Effectiveness Evaluation

Applies audiometric database analysis and STS rates to assess program performance. Identifies program weaknesses and drives continuous improvement cycles.

Lesson 3 • HCP Program Elements and Structure

Outlines the five core HCP elements: noise monitoring, audiometry, HPDs, training, and recordkeeping. Provides the organizational framework for a compliant, effective program.

Lesson 4 • Engineering and Administrative Controls

Prioritizes noise reduction through substitution, isolation, and work practice modifications. Positions HPDs as supplementary to, not replacements for, engineering solutions.

Lesson 1 • Medical Referral Criteria

Defines audiometric and symptomatic indicators requiring physician or audiologist referral. Prevents delayed diagnosis of treatable conditions identified during occupational screening.

Lesson 2 • Audiological Rehabilitation Overview

Introduces hearing aids, assistive devices, and communication strategies for occupationally hearing-impaired workers. Connects audiometric findings to rehabilitation pathways.

Lesson 3 • Tinnitus Assessment and Management

Covers tinnitus screening, severity assessment tools, and management referral pathways. Addresses the most prevalent occupational hearing symptom beyond threshold shift.

Lesson 4 • Communicating Results to Workers

Covers plain-language result communication, confidentiality obligations, and worker counseling. Builds worker trust and motivates protective behavior through clear information.