Ambient noise levels in mobile audiometric testing facilities: compliance with industry standards.
Excessive ambient noise levels in audiometric test booths may elevate and therefore invalidate hearing thresholds of employees included in a hearing conservation program. This study was conducted to determine if a sample of mobile test vans and trailers operating in the Midwest met the 1983 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) maximum permissible ambient noise levels (MPANLs), the MPANLs in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) S3.1-1991, and the suggested National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) values. Ambient noise levels were measured in 13 audiometric test booths contained in 12 different industrial mobile test vans and trailers operating in the Midwest. Results indicated that all 13 (100%) of the industrial mobile test vans and trailers evaluated complied with 1983 OSHA permissible levels and the NHCA 1996 recommended levels. With regard to the 1991 ANSI MPANLs, 5 (38%) of the 13 booths were in compliance at all frequencies. Those that failed did so at 125, 250, and 500 Hz. It appears that the NHCA levels need to be used for all hearing conservation programs with respect to compliance for noise levels in mobile audiometric test booths.
Department of Communicative Disorders, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
J E
JE
Lankford
D C
DC
Perrone
T D
TD
Thunder
D001299:Audiometry / Q000592:standards*; D015982:Bias; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D015146:Midwestern United States; D008952:Mobile Health Units / Q000592:standards*; D009622:Noise; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014481:United States; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration