Professional Audiometric Testing Services for Industrial Employees
Employees exposed to noise that is 85 decibels or higher during an 8 hour work day are at risk of losing their hearing. Employers in BC and Alberta are required by the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation to ensure their noise-exposed workers are administered an industrial audiometric (hearing) test annually, and to outfit them with the proper noise reducing equipment to help prevent hearing loss. At Northwest Hearing, we have certified technicians to provide hearing tests and screenings at our facility in Fort St. John, or who can come to your workplace in our mobile testing units.
What Is Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)?
NIHL is hearing impairment that is caused from exposure to high decibel sound. It can affect people by one-time exposure to a loud sound, or over an extended period of time such as working on an industrial job site that uses loud machinery or explosives. When someone experiences NIHL, the damage done is irreversible, so it’s important to maintain occupational safety and take preventative measures in the work environment to ensure workers’ hearing is conserved. Mobile units (4x4, radius equipped) are available anytime, anywhere. Some common signs of NIHL are:
- Ringing or buzzing in the ears
- Hearing muffled sounds
- Having issues deciphering speech
- Having issues hearing conversation with other noises nearby
Northwest Hearing is an authorized hearing test provider by WorkSafeBC and Work Safe Alberta, and we have established ourselves as one of the top-rated hearing test professionals in BC. We can also provide fitting of custom earplugs the same day as testing, as well as our other services on-site. Contact us for more information about our hearing test services, or if you’d like to schedule an appointment.