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If you run a business where noise is part of the daily grind, in manufacturing plants, construction sites, or warehouses, you are already know that protecting your workers' hearing isn't optional. But beyond just handing out earplugs, fit-for-duty hearing testing plays a huge role in keeping your team safe and your business compliant.
Think of fit-for-duty hearing tests as a checkpoint. They're designed to make sure an employee's hearing is good enough to safely do their specific job. Can they hear warning alarms? Following shouting instructions on a loud factory floor? Operate equipment that requires listening for mechanical issues? These tests help you answer those questions and catch potential problems before they become safety hazards.
Here's the deal with OSHA: If your workers are exposed to noise levels of 85 decibels or higher over an eight-hour shift, you need a hearing conservation program. That's roughly the volume of heavy traffic, and many industrial settings are much louder.
OSHA requires you to establish a baseline audiogram within six months of an employee starting work in a noisy environment. Then comes annual testing to catch any changes. OSHA looks for "standard threshold shift", basically a change of 10 decibels or more at certain frequencies. Spotting these shifts early means you can intervene before permanent damage occurs.
Nobody wants an OSHA violation, but theres a bigger picture here. Hearing loss creates real safety risks. Workers who can't hear properly might miss critical warnings, misunderstand instructions, or fail to detect equipment malfunctions. That's how accidents happen.
Workers' compensation claims for hearing loss typically run between $20,000 and $50,000 per claim. That includes medical costs, hearing aids, and potentially disability compensation. A good prevention program costs a fraction of that.
Getting a baseline before someone starts work in a noisy environment protects everyone. It documents what their hearing is like on day one, which protects you if they later claim workplace noise caused pre-existing hearing loss. Return-to-work testing is equally important. If someone's been out on extended leave, had a significant workplace incident, or is moving to a job with different noise exposure, you want to confirm they're ready to safety get back to work.
Here's what makes a hearing conservation program effective
If someone's test comes back showing hearing loss or significant shift, what do you do?
First, notify them right away and explain what it means. They need to understand what's happening and how to prevent further damage. If the results are concerning, refer them to a specialist. Some conditions need medical treatment beyond workplace hearing conservation.
Look at your workplace controls. Can you reduce the noise at the source? Rotate workers so they spend less time in the loudest areas? Sometimes engineering or administrative changes make a big difference. Lastly, upgrade their hearing protection if needed. Custom-fitted devices often work better than standard-issue earplugs, especially for workers who need them all day long.
Fit-for-Duty hearing testing isnt just about compliance, though avoiding fines is certainly a nice perk. It's about taking care of the people who show up to work for you every day. Hearing loss is permanent. Once it's gone, it's gone. But it's also highly preventable. Regular testing, combined with noise control and proper hearing protection, means your workers can finish their careers with their hearing intact. That affects their entire lives, not just their time on the clock.
Good hearing conservation programs also send a message: you're serious about safety, you invest in your people, and you're committed to doing things right. In an era where attracting and keeping good workers is challenging, that matters. If you haven't looked at your hearing conservation program lately, or if you're not sure you have one that actually works, now's the time! Your workers' hearing, your safety record, and your company's future all depend on it.
Read about Constructions Invisible Injury: Why 58% of Workers have Hearing Loss
Download our Free Construction Noise Exposure Assessment Checklist
