scope:

This report specifies procedures for systematically assessing the effectiveness of hearing conservation programs (HCPs) in preventing noise-induced hearing loss based on the variability of regular monitoring audiometry results for noise-exposed personnel. Test-totest variability in hearing thresholds measured in successive audiograms is used as the basis of two statistical indicators. Criterion ranges are given for the results of these indicators as applied to populations of noiseexposed personnel followed over time.

The application of the procedures specified in this report is one facet of audiometric data base analysis (ADBA), which also includes related techniques described in Annex A.