Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC)

HC Screening Guides - due to COVID-19

The Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) recognizes the impact that novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) may have on employers and their ability to screen the hearing health of their workers. In keeping with our mission to advance best practices in hearing conservation programs; CAOHC recommends the following:

  • All hearing conservation programs and independent audiometric screening service providers remain vigilant and responsive to the evolving guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To access this CDC information click here.
  • Adherence to Federal, state, and municipal public health guidance and directives; particularly those which inform of social distancing, lock-downs, quarantine, and isolation.
  • Emphasis on universal precautions throughout the entire screening process by hearing conservation programs.
  • Heightened communal area disinfection procedures in all environments within the clinic and testing environment, including waiting rooms, audio booths and associated equipment, and restrooms. For EPA universal precautions on cleaning, click here.
  • Emphasis on guidance for the management of health care workers exposed to COVID-19. This information can be found on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website by clicking here and the cdc website by clicking here.
  • All employees who present for testing and exhibit upper respiratory symptoms in addition to fever, should not undergo audiometric screening. Workers with upper respiratory conditions can have audiograms result in falsely positive increases in hearing thresholds. The hearing conservation program manager should reschedule these workers for their audiometric screening, and document the rationale for rescheduling in the worker's health record.

 

CAOHC is committed to updating the home page of our website with information as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. We encourage you to contact us with questions.

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