Posted By LAB Can anyone tell me what are the minimum qualifications that people should have to undertake audiometric testing in accordance with the CoNAWR 2005 and if regular refresher training is required?

Posted By Alan Hoskins Carrying out the tests would require fairly basic skills training, but interpreting the results would need an OH or medically qualified person I believe. Alan

Posted By Scott Butters LAB, I am a health and safety practitioner with many years experience in Occupational Health. With the advent of the new noise regs I attended a BSA approved course that permitted me to conduct basic audiometry in an industrial setting. The course I attended was quite clear in that it was to permit the undertaking of repeatable and accurate 'audiometric health screening'. If an individual is categorised with anything other than acceptable hearing, they are referred to thier GP (usually for reassessment before going to a specialist). In short, providing the health surveillance programme manager, and the person conducting the 'health screen', can show they are qualified and responsible enough as far as quality, record keeping, referrals and confidentiality, they need not be a Doctor or Occupational Health Nurse. Hope this helps clarify Scott

Posted By John A Blease Hi LAB, a couple of points worth noting on audiometric testing. Hearing tests should be carried out in accordance with the Health & Safety Executive Guidance Note MS26 ‘A guide to audiometric testing programmes’. To carry out a hearing test to satisfy these requirements, and the HSE guidelines for “best practice”, as shown in Discussion Document ISBN 0 11 883025 2, ‘Audiometry in industry’, the hearing test should be carried out in an audiometric sound proof booth . We had a visit two weeks ago by an occupational health specialist from the HSE who said that she would question the viability and repeatabilty of a hearing test if it was not carried out in an audiometric sound proof booth