New advice on interpreting audiogram results for suspected job-related hearing loss has been published, following revisions to the HSE’s regulatory guidance.
The supplementary guidance on interpreting an audiogram for indications of occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), published by the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) and the UK Hearing Conservation Association (UKHCA), offers a step-by-step approach to determining whether audiogram results require referral to an occupational physician for further assessment or support.
It also offers a symptom questionnaire for workers with suspected NIHL.
Hearing loss
All workers whose noise exposures are equal to or higher than an eight-hour time-weighted average of 85dBA must be
under a health surveillance programme involving audiometric testing, as described in HSE’s L108 guidance document, which details employers’ obligations under The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
L108 was revised in 2021 to clarify advice for health professionals where NIHL is seen on an audiogram, including where the results suggest a worker should be referred for a medical assessment.
The SOM and UKHCA guidance is intended to be read in conjunction with their position statement on HSE’s noise health surveillance guidance, which was published last year.
The guidance says occupational health providers are not obliged to follow the steps suggested, and are free to use any preferred means to interpret the audiogram so long as they can justify they are using a “valid and trusted methodology”.
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SOM said it would continue to review the practicality of the guidance through a pilot scheme, where a group of OH providers will be invited to give feedback on its application in real-life health surveillance scenarios.
