Industrial Hearing Testing
Hearing damage is a real and unfortunate effect of long-term exposure to loud noise. Noise is a hazard of industrial workers and workers of any occupation who are repeatedly exposed to loud noise.
Hearing damage from noise is fully preventable when the right precautions are taken from the start. Regular hearing tests to evaluate any early signs of hearing loss, as well as everyday preventative measures such as the use of ear plugs go a long way toward prevention of permanent hearing loss.
Industrial Hearing Test Requirements
In British Columbia, employers must give workers exposed to excessive noise an initial hearing test as soon as practicable but no later than 6 months after employment and at least once every 12 months thereafter.
Hearing tests must be administered by a hearing tester authorized by the Board. Surrey Hearing Care is an Authorized Industrial Audiometric Testing Company by WorkSafe BC.
The employer must ensure that the authorized hearing tester sends the test results to the Board. The employer must keep the hearing test results for as long as the worker is employed and must keep them confidential.
WorkSafe BC Coverage
WorkSafe BC will consider claims for hearing loss if you have experienced continuous exposure to hazardous noise at work in B.C. for two or more years. That exposure must have been for at least eight hours per day and at 85 decibels (about the equivalent of sustained traffic noise) or more.
If approved, WorkSafe BC will pay for:
- The cost of hearing aid(s) according to our fee schedule
- Costs associated with the ongoing hearing aid maintenance and batteries
- Hearing test cards for construction workers
If you work in construction, you need to carry your hearing card test with you. This is because workers tend to move between employers more often in construction than in other industries. If you don’t carry your hearing test card, you will have to go back to former employers to get the information.
