Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)RegulationsNoise Exposure Regulations, 2024Code of Practice for AudiometryAcronyms and Definitions |
Acronyms
ABHL: |
average binaural hearing loss |
dB: |
decibel |
dBA: |
decibel A-weighting |
dBC: |
decibel C-weighting |
IEC: |
International Electrotechnical Commission |
HPD: |
hearing protective device |
HTL: |
hearing threshold level |
MPASPL: |
maximum permissible ambient sound pressure levels |
NIHL: |
noise-induced hearing loss |
OHP: |
occupational health practitioner |
OMP: |
occupational medicine practitioner |
PLH: |
percentage loss of hearing |
SANS: |
South African National Standard |
STS: |
standard threshold shift |
TC: |
technical committee |
Definitions
"acoustic environment" means a room, booth or mobile facility in which audiometric tests are conducted;
"audiogramme" means a chart, graph or table indicating the hearing threshold levels (HTLs) of an individual as a function of frequency as determined during the measurement of a person’s HTLs;
"audiometer" means an instrument for the measurement of hearing levels that complies with the relevant requirements specified in IEC 60645;
"audiometric test" means the act of measuring an individual’s hearing to establish a percentage loss of hearing (PLH) shift and/or standard threshold shift (STS);
"audiometric zero" means the average hearing threshold at 2 000, 3 000 and 4 000 Hz for each ear calculated from baseline;
"audiometry" means the procedure to be followed in testing an individual’s hearing for either screening or diagnostic purposes;
"baseline audiometric test" means a one-off test that is conducted in terms of Instruction 171;
"Compensation Commissioner" means the Compensation Commissioner appointed under section 2(1) of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, 1993 (Act No. 130 of 1993);
"competent person: audiometric testing" means—
| (a) | for screening audiometry— |
| (i) | a person registered in terms of the Health Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974), with the Health Professions Council of South Africa in any of the following categories: |
| (aa) | ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist); |
| (bb) | speech therapist; or |
| (cc) | audiologist; or |
| (ii) | a person with a valid occupational skills certificate: Occupational Audiometric Screener, obtained from an organisation accredited with the Quality Assurance Body that has been delegated the quality assurance responsibilities for Occupational Audiometric Screener unit standards by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), established in terms of section 26(1) of the Skills Development Amendment Act, Act No. 37 of 2008, as amended, and registered with an organisation recognised by the Chief Inspector; and |
| (b) | for diagnostic audiology— |
| (i) | a person registered in terms of the Health Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974), with the Health Professions Council of South Africa in any of the following categories: |
| (aa) | ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist); or |
| (bb) | an audiologist; |
"competent person" in relation to noise, means a person who—
| (a) | has, in respect of the work or task to be performed, the required knowledge, training and experience in noise and, where applicable, relevant qualifications specific to or including noise: Provided that where appropriate qualifications and training are registered in terms of the provisions of the National Qualifications Framework Act, 2008 (Act No. 67 of 2008), those qualifications and that training must be regarded as the required qualifications and training; and |
| (b) | is familiar with the Act and the applicable regulations made under the Act; |
"diagnostic audiology" means an advanced assessment of hearing and hearing loss conducted by an audiologist or ENT specialist;
"entry audiometric test" means a one-off test in terms of Instruction 171 that is conducted on vulnerable employees or employees employed in a noise zone;
"exit audiometric test" means a one-off test in terms of Instruction 171 that is conducted on vulnerable employees or employees employed in a noise zone at the time of termination of employment in a noise zone;
"IEC 60645-1:2017" means the Electroacoustics – Audiometric equipment – Part 1: Equipment for pure-tone and speech audiometry;
"initial audiometric test" means a one-off test in terms of Instruction 171 that is conducted on vulnerable employees or employees employed in a noise zone, who have not had a baseline or entry audiometric test;
"Instruction No. 171" means the Compensation Commissioner’s Circular Instruction 171 and Supplement entitled The Determination of Permanent Disablement Resulting from Hearing Loss Caused by Exposure to Excessive Noise and Trauma;
"noise zone" means an area, and plant or machinery without a fixed location, where the noise is—
| (c) | at or above the noise-rating limit; or |
| (d) | at or above the noise action level where there is concomitant exposure to ototoxic chemical agents and/or whole-body vibration; |
"percentage loss of hearing or PLH" means percentage loss of hearing calculated on every audiogramme as per Instruction 171;
"percentage loss of hearing shift or PLH shift" means the difference between the current PLH and the baseline PLH and is used to determine the need for compensation for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL);
"periodic audiometric test" means a test in terms of Instruction 171 that is conducted on vulnerable employees or employees employed in a noise zone at stipulated intervals;
"SANS 10154" means the South African National Standard for calibration of pure-tone audiometers;
"SANS 10182" means the South African National Standard for the measurement and assessment of acoustic environments for audiometric tests;
"screening audiometric tests" means audiometric tests, conducted by a competent person: audiometric testing, to establish baseline, entry, initial, periodic and exit audiogrammes;
"standard threshold shift or STS" means an average change in hearing of 10 dB or more at the frequencies of 2 000, 3 000 and 4 000 Hz in one or both ears, as compared to the employee’s audiometric zero.