Occupational Audiometry Course

The Occupational Audiometry Course provides comprehensive training in the skills and knowledge required to conduct legislation-compliant occupational hearing assessments in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Course material is drawn from several key reference documents including:

• Work Health & Safety Act & Regulations (and state-based equivalents)
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice
• Australian Standard/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS1269.4
• NAL Report 80 Criteria for assessing hearing conservation audiograms

While conducting a hearing test can be perceived as simply “pressing buttons” there is far more involved in completing the task accurately and according to best practice. Our aim in this course is to produce “thinking” graduates who have the confidence and ability to consistently obtain accurate results and make correct decisions in routine and challenging testing situations.

The Occupational Audiometry Course is taught to small-medium sized groups. This allows our teachers to provide one-on-one, hands-on practical tuition and individually tailor each student’s development of key audiometry skills.

The course materials and skill set are drawn directly from the detailed list of 16 “competency requirements” for audiometric testers described in Appendix D of AS/NZS 1269.4; the primary reference document for conducting occupational audiometry in Australia.

To graduate from this course students must demonstrate competence in the 16 elements described in AS/NZS1269.4. Assessment of competence is via practical assessment and open book written assessment.

The written assessment includes a pre-course assignment, quizes during the course and a take home written exam (due the week following the course).

On the final day each student’s practical skills are formally assessed, using well-practiced templates and guides worked on during the course.

The pass rate for this course on first attempt is high (over 95%), although we offer supplementary assessments if required.

Course graduates receive a graduation certificate from The Hearing Company, Australia’s leading occupational audiometry course provider. The certificate describes competency in the key aspects of occupational audiometry as detailed in: AS/NZS 1269.4, Managing Noise & Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice and Work Health & Safety Regulations.

The skills obtained from this course can be used in any occupational audiometry setting in Australia (except WA) and the Asia Pacific region.

passing the course is not guaranteed although the pass rate is very high (over 90%).

Students must pass written and practical assessments to obtain a Graduation Certificate.

To pass the practical assessment students are required to demonstrate “competence” (as specified in AS/NZS1269.4) in the key aspects of hearing assessment. The written assessment is undertaken via a pre-course assignment and in-course quizes awe well as a take home (open book) exam that’s due the week following the course.

Passing the course usually requires some application, effort and study. While not everyone is enthusiastic about assessments, we draw on over 30 years’ experience (and enthusiasm!) to design methods and materials to support the majority of students (so far, 2,0000 and counting…) to learn what’s required over 4 days.

• Conducting hearing tests on adults following the Australian Standard technique
• Managing the effects of background noise on test accuracy
• Conducting otoscopy (ear inspections) safely and effectively
• Analysing audiograms and applying referral criteria
• Accurately describing audiograms and presenting test results to workers
• Ear anatomy, physiology and common ear conditions in adults
• Conducting an effective case history
• Audiogram comparison guidelines (Australian Standard and other)
• Legislative and Australian Standards requirements for conducting workplace audiometry
• Requirements for NSW Coal Mining Order 43 health assessments
• Effects of noise and other hazards on workers
• Hearing protection and other strategies for managing exposure to loud noise
• Managing challenging testing situations
• Detecting and managing equipment faults

The course runs over 4 days 8.15am to 5.00pm (although usually there’s an earlier finish on day 4). Students are required to attend all sessions.

There is a lot of material to cover and skills to learn.

Our focus is on ensuring students complete the course with confident in their new skills and knowledge, and this takes time. We provide multiple one-on-one practice sessions, each building on the previous until students are capable of independently and accurately completing a full assessment.

The Australian Standard is also a very detailed document, and we need to time to both teach the material and allow time to discuss how to integrate into everyday practice in the workplace.

We acknowledge that people learn at different paces (some much faster than others) and in any group this is a challenge for the teachers. We’ve found that running the course over 4 days allows the majority of students to pass, without being too stressful for less confident learners.

Once registered, students will be asked to bring to the course copies of two key reference documents:

• Australian Standard/New Zealand Standard 1269 Part 4 Auditory assessment.
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice (from your state government workplace safety body).

Links to Australian state/territory health and safety regulatory bodies can be found here.

Students will also be expected to undertaking pre-course reading and a pre-course assignment. Results from the pre-course assignment form part of the total written assessment mark.

This course has been approved by Coal Services and fulfills the training requirements for nurses to conduct NSW Coal Industry Order 43 health surveillance audiometric tests.

Also approved is our 2-day Intermediate Audiometry Workshop.

There are no formal per-requisites for attending this course. We have many students attending the course without prior background in audiometry or health assessment. The course does, however, include a lot of material and some is study required in order pass the written and practical assessments.

This course is primarily aimed at practitioners within the medical and occupational health sectors seeking audiometry training that’s fully compliant with workplace legislation, Australian Standards and industry best practice. Skills can be used for:

• Legislation-compliant in-company audiometric health surveillance programs
• Identifying and managing changes in employees’ hearing
• Contributing to the management of hearing loss within a company (referrals, ongoing management, etc)
• Enhancing the skills and knowledge of existing medical or occupational health service providers
• Practitioners and health practices expanding their range of services to corporate clients
• Company managers/staff seeking a thorough understanding of audiometry legislation and requirements
• Nurses seeking training to comply with the requirements of NSW Coal Industry Order 43