Pre-Employment Hearing Tests, WorkCover Testing
If you are working, or are about to start work, in a prescribed ‘noisy workplace’, your
employer is responsible for arranging a WorkCover WA hearing test. Ideally this test
should be undertaken prior to beginning employment but it must be done within a 12
month period from when employment commenced.
A prescribed ‘noisy workplace’ is one where a worker receives a personal noise dose
of 90dB(A) or above during their typical eight hour work day, or its equivalent. A
worker who receives noise above the peak exposure of 140dB(lin), even for a short
time, will also require testing.
90 dB is roughly equivalent to the noise from an idling heavy motor truck at a distance
of one metre, while 140 dB(lin) is roughly equivalent to the peak noise from a firearm at
the user’s ear.
Should this apply to you, we will conduct an initial audiometric test – known as the baseline hearing test – to establish your hearing ability prior to commencement of employment. Results of the test will be forwarded to Workcover WA.