PS Certification and Training
How to Become Certified as a PS
Course Description
According to The OSHA Hearing Conservation Amendment 29 CFR 1910.95: Para (g) (3) “A technician who performs audiometric tests must be responsible to an audiologist, otolaryngologist or physician.” The audiologist, otolaryngologist, or physician is the “professional supervisor.”
The Professional Supervisor of the Audiometric Monitoring Program© (PS) Course was created by CAOHC to clarify the PS responsibilities as stated in the federal regulation. The PS workshop is an intermediate-level course that outlines the scope of practice of the audiologist, physician or otolaryngologist performing the duties of a PS in an occupational hearing conservation program.
The course combines:
- Lectures.
- Interactive analysis of employee case studies.
- Small-group discussions.
The course content includes a review of current literature and recommended practice guidelines for:
- Review of audiograms.
- Determination of work-related hearing loss.
- Follow-up of work-related hearing loss.
- Management of audiometric databases.
In addition, case studies encourage:
- Problem solving.
- Critical thinking.
- Small-group discussion regarding employee, employer and professional responsibilities in the prevention of hearing loss.
Certification Prerequisites
Participants must meet the prerequisites below to begin the process of being credentialed as a Professional Supervisor.
Participants must:
- be an MD, DO or audiologist.
- provide a copy of a current state license prior to registering for the Professional Supervisor Course.
- complete the online application and provide payment for the PS course
NOTE: Other hearing conservation-related professionals are also invited to participate in a PS course; however, these other professionals are not eligible to take the certification exam.
Course Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Define the role and responsibilities of a Professional Supervisor of the Audiometric Monitoring Program© in occupational hearing conservation programs (HCPs).
- Establish key factors in the occupational audiometric database review process including recognizing and defining:
- problem audiograms.
- baseline revision.
- determination of work-related hearing change.
- Identify the federal standards and regulations that apply to HCPs.
- Define the pathophysiologic factors of NIHL and interactions between noise and other agents.
- Identify medical and legal aspects of managing audiometric monitoring components of an HCP.
- Recognize best practices of HCP management including:
- the essential elements of a quality HCP.
- program audits.
- evaluations and resources.
- Differentiate between regulatory compliance and best practices for NIHL prevention.
Continuing Education Credits
CMEs and CEUs may be available - Click on a specific training date for Continuing Education details.
How to Re-Certify as a PS
The certification for the Professional Supervisor of the Audiometric Monitoring Program (CPS/A) is valid for five years. Those who choose to recertify must do so before their date of expiration, otherwise they must take the full course again. There are two options for recertification: