Surveillance Audiometry for Shooting Schools & Shooting Professionals
Surveillance Audiometry for Shooting Schools & Shooting Professionals
Shooting & firearms is exceptionally risky in terms of potential for damage to your hearing health.
For instance, shooting coaches may be exposed to the noise from in excess of 2,000 shots per day at close range. Any single report or explosion has the potential to cause instant (and permanent) hearing damage called acoustic trauma, as well as Noise Induced Hearing Loss, which tends to evolve over time.
Particular risks for people working in shooting may include exceptional or accidental un-protected exposure to noise, as well as background noise from shots emanating from other stands. This is in addition to the risks posed by extremely high peak noise levels, caused by each shot itself.
Anyone involved with shooting in any capacity should therefore have access to high quality hearing protection and be part of an effective hearing surveillance program. As well as being a sensible idea, it is a legal requirement of UK employers under the Noise at Work Act 2005.
Noise at Work in Shooting
Sources & complications of Noise in Shooting
- Shotguns
- Rifles
- Handguns
- Specialist off-road vehicles & equipment
- Bare, reverberant buildings & shooting ranges
- The ear is at close proximity to the noise source
- Staff may be tempted to remove hearing protection to assist communication
Hearing tests in shooting are challenging because:
- Staff schedules change rapidly with short breaks
- Low staff numbers make it hard to organise cost-effective tests
- Extreme noise may require more frequent hearing checks
- Instantaneous, extreme noise can cause sudden hearing damage
- Self-employed coaches & specialists may wish to manage their own audiometric testing
Acoustic trauma
Acoustic trauma is injury to the hearing mechanisms in the inner ear. It is due to very loud noise.
Causes
Acoustic trauma is a common cause of sensory hearing loss. Damage to the hearing mechanisms within the inner ear may be caused by:
- Explosion near the ear
- Firing a gun near the ear
- Long-term exposure to loud noises (such as loud music or machinery)
- Any very loud noise near the ear
Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
How Health Wizard at Work can help
Health Wizard at Work is the easiest workplace hearing test for staff anywhere at any time of day. Our test is fully portable, comprehensive and simple to operate, which means Health Wizard at Work is easy to roll out, wherever the site and whatever the size of workforce.
Instantly available at any time of day without specialist training, Health Wizard at Work makes hearing tests available to anyone used to a smartphone or tablet.
We are proud to support workers of any nationality with our multi-language tests and information. This means everyone receives the same care, without scheduling complexities and costs associated with arranging translators.
The Health Wizard at Work handset is a portable unit, designed for the workplace (not a clinic!), so that audiometric testing can take place closer to operations with minimum management effort and hassle. Portability and flexibility also means it is easier to identify and test in a suitably quiet location.
HealthWizard users therefore cut staff downtime using Health Wizard at Work, while providing essential care and more time for staff to engage with surveillance audiometry and hearing care.