If your workplace involves exposure to hazardous noise levels, Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation requires regular hearing monitoring to protect your employees from occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing Care Caloundra provides professional workplace hearing screening services that meet all regulatory requirements whilst making the process straightforward for both employers and employees.
Factories with loud machinery, metal fabrication, woodworking facilities, and processing plants.
Workers using power tools, demolition equipment, concrete cutting, and heavy machinery.
Truck drivers, mining operations, heavy vehicle operators, and airport ground crew.
Operators of tractors, harvesters, chainsaws, and processing equipment.
Live music venues, nightclubs, event staff, and musicians.
Where noise levels regularly exceed 85dB(A) for extended periods.
If you're unsure whether your workplace requires hearing screening, we can conduct noise level assessments to determine your obligations under Queensland's WHS legislation.
We've designed our workplace hearing screening service to be convenient, compliant, and comprehensive:
Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most common preventable workplace injuries in Australia, yet many people don't recognise the damage until it's too late. The insidious nature of NIHL is that it develops gradually, often over years, without causing pain or obvious symptoms in the early stages.
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Early Damage | Tiny hair cells in the inner ear begin to be damaged by excessive noise exposure. No symptoms are noticeable. |
| Temporary Threshold Shift | After noise exposure, hearing is temporarily reduced. This recovers with rest, but indicates you're at risk for permanent damage. |
| Permanent Threshold Shift | Continued exposure causes irreversible damage. Audiometry shows hearing loss, particularly at high frequencies (3-6 kHz), even though you might not notice difficulties in everyday life yet. |
| Noticeable Communication Difficulty | The hearing loss extends to speech frequencies. You begin having trouble understanding conversations, particularly in noisy environments. At this point, significant permanent damage has already occurred. |
The crucial point is that by the time you notice hearing problems in daily life, substantial damage has already occurred. Regular audiometric screening detects early changes before they become functionally significant, allowing for intervention through better hearing protection, workplace modifications, or changes to noise exposure patterns.
Under Queensland's Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, employers have specific obligations regarding noise exposure and hearing conservation:
Measure or estimate noise levels to which workers are exposed.
Eliminate or minimise exposure to noise so far as is reasonably practicable.
Provide appropriate hearing protection where noise cannot be adequately controlled.
Conduct audiometric testing for workers exposed to noise above the exposure standard (85dB(A) for 8 hours).
Maintain records of audiometric testing and make them available to workers and regulators as required.
Educate workers about the risks of noise exposure and the importance of hearing protection.
Our workplace hearing screening service helps you meet the health monitoring requirement efficiently whilst demonstrating due diligence in protecting your employees' hearing health.
The testing process is straightforward and non-invasive:
Employees should avoid significant noise exposure for at least 16 hours before testing when possible (i.e., test at the beginning of a shift or after a rest day). This provides the most accurate baseline reading. We'll check the ears for excessive wax that might affect results.
The employee wears headphones in a quiet environment and responds (usually by pressing a button) whenever they hear a tone, no matter how faint. We test multiple frequencies in each ear. The entire process takes 20-30 minutes.
We'll explain the results in plain language, compare with previous tests if available, and make recommendations about hearing protection, work practices, or further assessment if needed. Both the employee and employer receive appropriate documentation.
We maintain records of all tests, allowing us to track changes over time and identify concerning trends early. Our database system makes scheduling annual retests straightforward.
Based right here in Caloundra, we understand Sunshine Coast businesses and can respond quickly to your screening needs.
Testing conducted by a qualified hearing care professional with extensive experience in occupational hearing conservation.
Detailed reports that meet all WHS compliance requirements, with clear recommendations for action when needed.
We take time to explain results to employees and answer their questions, reducing anxiety and encouraging compliance.
We'll work around your business operations, including early morning or late afternoon appointments if needed.
If testing reveals hearing loss requiring intervention, we can provide hearing protection advice and hearing aid services without referring elsewhere.
Workplace hearing screening is more than a compliance exercise—it's an investment in your employees' long-term health and quality of life. Noise-induced hearing loss doesn't just affect work performance; it impacts family relationships, social engagement, and overall wellbeing. Once damaged, the delicate hair cells in the inner ear don't regenerate—prevention and early detection are the only defences.
By implementing a regular workplace hearing screening programme with Hearing Care Caloundra, you're demonstrating that you value your employees' health, meeting your legal obligations under Queensland WHS legislation, and potentially preventing costly workers' compensation claims related to occupational hearing loss. For your employees, these regular checks provide peace of mind and early warning if workplace noise is affecting their hearing, allowing for intervention before significant damage occurs.
Contact us to discuss your workplace's specific needs, receive a quote for screening services, or arrange an initial consultation to assess your noise exposure and compliance requirements.
Book Workplace ScreeningWe're here to help Sunshine Coast businesses protect their most valuable asset—their people.
Common questions about workplace hearing screening and WHS compliance in Queensland.
